Man kills neighbor to end 12-year spat

MANILA, Philippines - A construction worker ended his 12-year conflict with his 62-year-old neighbor by stabbing her in the chest in Caloocan City Sunday afternoon.

Joven Tomaog of Barangay 187 admitted to killing Celine Rebusta, 62, when he surrendered to city police chief Senior Superintendent Rimas Calixto on Monday afternoon.

“I couldn’t stop myself. I’m ready to pay for (my mistakes),” Tomaog told Calixto.

Tomaog and Rebusta had been quarreling over a piece of land along Sunflower street in their neighborhood since 2001.

They argued again at about 7 a.m. on Sunday after Rebusta accused Tomaog of setting her fence on fire. The argument ended with Tomaog and his brothers, Melvin and Reynante, threatening to kill Rebusta.

At around 4 p.m., Resbusta’s husband, Roberto, heard her calling him. From their store at the front of the house, Roberto went to their room and found his wife with a kitchen knife in her chest and stab wounds all over her body.

Roberto rushed Rebusta to the Dr. Jose Rodriguez Hospital but she was declared dead Sunday afternoon.