3 killed in separate Christmas brawls

MANILA, Philippines - The Quezon City police reported that three men were killed in separate drunken brawls from Christmas Eve through yesterday morning.

The victims were Antonio Gamutan Jr., 23, of Barangay Batasan Hills; Harold Gallano, 18, of Fairview; and Christopher Salina, 25, of Tondo, Manila.

Senior Police Officer 1 Neil Garnace said they have in custody suspect Jimboy Obina, 22, who was tagged by witness Dennis Quintela in the death of Gamutan during a brawl at around 5 p.m. Thursday in Barangay Batasan Hills. Gamutan was rushed to Quirino Memorial Medical Center but died during treatment.

Obina’s older brother, Joel, 25, was the one who allegedly stabbed Gamutan in the chest.

Gamutan, who was reportedly drunk, blocked the path of Obina and his brother. Quintela tried to intervene, but said one of the Obinas hit him on the head with a hollow block.

A fistfight ensued, during which the victim got stabbed in the chest. Village watchmen arrested Joel but later let him go when they thought he was not a suspect.

After the fight, Quintela went to report the injury he sustained to the Quezon City Police District-Station 6, where he learned that Gamutan had died. When Obina arrived at the same station to file a complaint, Quintela told police Obina was one of the suspects in Gamutan’s death.

Meanwhile, Gallano was stabbed reportedly when he tried to harass a certain James and his 15-year-old girlfriend in Fairview at past midnight yesterday.

The girlfriend said she and James were walking when Gallano accosted them. When James kept walking, Gallano punched him in the face, prompting James to run after Gallano and stab him in the back.

The suspect fled while Gallano was rushed to Fairview General Hospital, where he died upon arrival.

Five hours later, Salina died of six stab wounds in the back after he and five friends engaged another group in a brawl in La Loma.

Salina and his friends were drinking liquor when they started throwing bottles at one of the suspects, identified as Sing, whom they saw pointing a gun at a boy on the road.

Sing left but later returned and started throwing bottles at Salina and his group. Salina and his friends approached Sing, only to be attacked by the suspect’s group.      – Reinir Padua