Painter stabbed dead

A 40-year-old painter failed to anticipate the fatal end to a story he was telling his drinking buddies in Sta. Ana Manila Saturday night, after one of the antagonists in his narrative suddenly turned up and stabbed him to death.

Severino Rivera Jr. was declared dead on arrival at the Philippine General Hospital due to eight stab wounds he sustained in his chest and neck inflicted by 53-year-old Ernesto Cesar. Cesar was arrested by the Western Police District (WPD) Homicide unit.

Based on Senior Police Officer 1 Edgardo Ko’s report, the killing happened about 11:30 p.m. inside a car wash shop along Onyx street, Sta. Ana, right in front of Rivera’s drinking friends.

Prior to the attack, a drunk Rivera reportedly went to a variety store being manned by one Rosalie Eslaban and started teasing the latter resulting in an altercation.

Later, as Eslaban was about to leave Rivera behind, the victim reportedly uttered unsavory remarks and was confronted by Cesar who was nearby. The suspect then allegedly followed and confronted Rivera and another heated argument ensued.

The two then parted ways with Rivera proceeding to the car wash shop some 30 meters away to meet his buddies.

Rivera was in the middle of his story regarding the earlier incident when Cesar arrived and repeatedly stabbed him. It could not be immediately determined what Rivera told Rosalie that caused the arguments.

Meanwhile, another person turned up dead in Manila yesterday after he was stabbed twice in the chest.

Glen Gayola, 35, was found dead and sprawled on the stairway of the New Vitas tenement in Vitas, Tondo about 1:30 a.m. minutes after being seen rushing downstairs, bleeding and shouting for help.

Police investigators could not say who was the culprit and why Gayola was killed but residents reportedly pointed to one Alejandro Tan alias "Bibeng Manok" as the assailant. They said the two had been feuding but police did not elaborate on this in their report. – Jose Aravilla