Police identified the victim as Benjamin Carandang, of 348 Blumentritt Extension, La Loma, Quezon City. Reports said that the incident happened at around 12:45 a.m. along the railroad tracks fronting Elpo Building in Claro M. Recto Avenue, Divisoria, Tondo, Manila.
Investigation showed that Carandang was called by his sister Gina to help pacify her husband and suspect Ricardo Yco, 30, of Barrio Malabag, Silang, Cavite, who was creating trouble in their vegetable stall at the Divisoria market.
Yco reportedly went to the stall and asked for P100 as bus fare. Though he was given the money, the suspect was apparently not contented with the amount and went back asking for more. He was enraged when Gina refused to give him more money as she sensed that he will only use the money to buy shabu.
When the suspect started creating trouble at the stall, Gina then telephoned her brother and asked for help. When Yco saw Carandang, he flared up and rushed at the victim with a fan knife. Carandang was stabbed in the chest and in the right side of the body.
He was rushed to the Gat Andres Bonifacio Memorial Medical Center but was declared dead on arrival.
Witnesses later saw Yco fleeing on foot towards an unknown direction, with the murder weapon.
A manhunt was ordered against the suspect by Chief Inspector Juanito Taluban, head of the Western Police District homicide division.– Mike Frialde