Police Officer 2 Jorge de la Cruz, the investigator on the case, identified the gang leader as Ronron Dizon, an 18-year-old fish porter.
Three other suspects, formally known as children in conflict with the law, are all 13-year-old out-of-school youths. Their names, as required by law, have been withheld because they are minors.
The suspects were collared by Police Officer 1 Anthony Delirio and barangay watchman Ernesto Palad.
Dizon was locked up in jail, the three minors were turned over to the local office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development for appropriate disposition, as required by the juvenile delinquency law.
De la Cruz identified the victims as Marvie Sambajon, 16; Melchor Lirazan Jr., 16, and construction worker Ferdinand Contreras, 27, all of Barangay Tañong where the stabbing took place.
Records showed Marvie Sambajon and his brother Kevin were walking home at around 7 p.m. when they met the suspects.
A remark led to another resulting in a heated argument between the two groups. A fistfight soon followed whereupon Dizon pulled out a knife and stabbed Marvie in the back.
Lirazan ran to Marvie’s aid but was himself stabbed by Dizon in the left forearm, prompting him to run for his life. The suspect ran after Lirazan who disappeared in the dark. Unable to find his prey, Dizon returned but met the unsuspecting Contreras along the way. Contreras was walking home after buying cigarettes from a local convenience store.
The suspect drew his weapon and stabbed Contreras in the back before fleeing.