Fiscal, 2 others stabbed by drunk man who hitched a ride

TACLOBAN CITY — For lending a helping hand, assistant provincial prosecutor Robert Visbal found himself stabbed instead.

This, as a drunk man whom Visbal had allowed to hitch a ride in his "multicab" from Caibiran, Biliran to this city last Friday, suddenly went on a stabbing rampage, wounding him, his wife Asuncion, 44, and driver Norberto Santese, 56.

Visbal, 56, along with his wife, six-year-old son and two housemaids, visited Caibiran, his hometown, to get a residence certificate and "break in" the family’s new "multicab."

Visbal recounted to The STAR that they were on their way home when Jesus Alverio, alias Escot, who was obviously drunk, asked that he hitch a ride to the next town of Cabucgayan. The prosecutor obliged, unaware that Alverio, an old friend, was carrying a bladed weapon.

Upon reaching Barangay Pawican in Cabucgayan, Alverio alighted. But before leaving, he approached Visbal on the front seat and asked for money for his fare.

But after Visbal gave him money, Alverio, without any provocation, pulled out a knife and stabbed the prosecutor in the abdomen. Visbal also sustained knife wounds on the hands and arms when he parried the attacks.

Alverio also lunged at Visbal’s wife, hitting her in the thighs and right chest, and Santese, who was wounded in the arm. Visbal’s son and two housemaids were unhurt because they were able to run away from the scene.

Alverio escaped but gave himself up to the Cabucgayan police an hour later.

He reportedly served a jail sentence for lobbing a grenade and killing a policeman who was about to arrest him for a robbery case several years ago.

Alverio is reportedly a caretaker of the poultry farm of former Biliran congressman, now Naval Biliran Mayor Gerardo Espina Sr.

Visbal, who is confined at the Divine Word University Hospital, along with his wife and Santese, said he was surprised by what happened, adding that he had just tried to help Alverio.

"But I thank God for the second life. I know justice will prevail," he said.