Dancer stabbed over 'love triangle'

CEBU, Philippines - A love triangle is said to be the reason why a KTV dancer was stabbed by her colleague along 3rd Avenue, Barangay Carreta Cebu City on Thursday evening. 

Erlinda Valdezamo, 30, of P. del Rosario Extension, Barangay Sambag I, Cebu City sustained a lone stab wound near her left breast after Hazel Panugan, 20, of Sitio Viking, Barangay Alaska- Mambaling Cebu City, stabbed her in the middle of a catfight.

 Panugan was reportedly inside the dressing room when Valdezamo approached her to settle their misunderstanding at round 7 p.m. when the confrontation escalated into a heated argument and resulted in a catfight.

In the middle of their fight, the suspect reportedly took out a 9-inch kitchen knife which she used to stab Valdezamo. The victim tried to evade the suspect’s attack but failed.

Panugan allegedly tried to attack the victim again but her co-workers pacified her and got the knife. The bloodied Valdezamo was rushed by her co-works to Chong Hua Hospital for medical treatment.

SPO1 Jeffrey Diola of the Cebu City Police Office Theft and Robbery Section who happened to be near the area apprehended Panugan who was later turned over to CCPO homicide section.

“Naglalis man na sila kay kana daw’ng uyab sa biktima kay nauyab pod daw sa suspect nya…dala na pod siguro sa insecurity nga work-related mao na mi-resulta nuon sa pagpanunggab,” homicide investigator PO2 Cristobal Geronimo told The FREEMAN.

Valdezamo spent P 20,000 for her hospital bills and now wants the suspect to pay for her bills, “gusto nako nga mabayran ang akong mga nagasto sa pagpatambal kay dili baya lalim ang kadako sa akong nagasto.”

Even as they have worked for years as colleagues, Valdezamo wants Panugan to rot in jail. 

Panugan and Valdezamo are both dancers of the Arena KTV at 3rd Avenue, Barangay Careta Cebu City and have been working together for four years

Meanwhile, a fisherman who was trying to pacify an altercation between his neighbor and the latter’s live-in partner was stabbed dead Thursday evening in Barangay Balud, Dalaguete.

A stab wound in Juan Navarete’s left chest caused his untimely death. He was already lying lifeless on the ground when the police arrived. The suspect Miguel Bedico, 29 also sustained several lacerated wounds in different parts of his body after he was hacked by Navarete.

Police took Bedico to the Julio Cardinal Memorial Rosales Hospital and later referred at the Don Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center for further treatment.

Prior to the incident, Navarete, 52 and Bedico were having a drinking session before they decided to go home about 10:00 in the evening.

Aliñabon said Navarete was able to hack the suspect several times before he was stabbed once in his chest.

“Nag-ungot pa gyud ang kutsilyo sa dughan pag-abot sa pulis,” Aliñabon said.

Police recovered the two bladed weapons used by Navarete and Bedico.  (FREEMAN)