Man kills neighbor over bunch of bananas

CEBU, Philippines - A 36-year-old man was stabbed and hacked to death by his neighbor in Barangay Pitalo, San Fernando last Sunday evening following a heated argument over a bunch of banana fruits.

Joseph Tapere succumbed to lacerated and stabbed wounds in his abdomen and right arm and was declared dead on arrival at the South General Hospital. The suspect, Paquito Alferan, stabbed and hacked the victim in the middle of their argument.

Alferan, 62, allegedly confronted Tapere why he harvested a bunch of banana fruits in the property entrusted to them by Charot family who are now residing abroad.

Alferan and Tapere were both caretakers of the property in Sitio Pajo, Pitalo.

Alferan got mad of Tapere for harvesting the banana fruits without his permission. Alferan was designated to watch over the crops and fruit bearing plants of the property owner while Tapere is allegedly assigned to watch over the livestock.

In the middle of the confrontation Alferan pulled out his 24-inch bolo and attacked the victim. Alferan tried to escape after killing the victim by boarding a bus bound for Cebu City but he was intercepted by the police in the City of Naga.

Alferan was turned over by the Naga police to San Fernando where he is now detained pending the filing of the criminal complaint.  (FREEMAN)