Drinking spree in Tatalon turns bloody; 3 workers stabbed dead

For cracking too many jokes at his expense, an employee stabbed dead his three drinking buddies early yesterday morning at a compound in Tatalon, Quezon City.

Victims Michael Dojinog, Editho Sarigumba, 33, and Rolando Delarama, all residents of 6 Mazaraga St., Tatalon, sustained stab wounds in the body and died on the spot. The three were employees of Mazaraga Compound owned by Manuel Chua.

Police are now hunting the suspect, identified as Arnold Piamonte, also a stay-in worker at the compound. Investigators said, however, that there could be one more suspect, because "one man could not have killed all three by himself."

The victims’ bodies were discovered at about 7:30 a.m. by Eric Bassister, 25, also a worker in the compound.

Initial reports showed that the incident occurred at about 3 a.m. inside the compound on Mazaraga street where the three victims and Piamonte were having a drinking spree.

After downing several bottles of gin and beer, the three victims started cracking jokes at the assailant, the police said. This irked Piamonte, who suddenly left.

After a few minutes, the police added, Piamonte returned with a bladed weapon and stabbed the victims who had their backs turned to him.

According to PO1 Joseph Madrid, officer-on-case, he believes there was another assailant involved and they are still trying to determine the real motive of the suspect.

Still in Quezon City, policemen are now looking for a Mindanao native, a suspected drug pusher, who shot dead a police informer yesterday afternoon.

The victim, identified only as a certain "Japay," was a police asset of the Central Police District-Station 6.

The suspect is said to be one of the notorious drug dealers in the area. He fled after the shooting taking with him the fatal weapon, a caliber .22 pistol.

Initial investigation showed that the incident took place at about 12:10 p.m. in front of a house located at 334 Kaunlaran Street, Barangay Commonwealth in Quezon City.

According to PO2 Steve Esteves, the two were walking when Japay remarked that the drugs he bought from the suspect were not "genuine shabu" but "lahar."

This irked the suspect and angrily told the victim that the drugs were real. When Japay insisted it was lahar, the suspect took out his firearm and shot the victim in the shoulder. – Matthew Estabillo