Teen stabbed dead

LAGUNA, Philippines — A 16-year-old student died after he was allegedly stabbed by his school mates in Nagcarlan town in this province over the weekend.

John Paul Espaldon died while being treated for a stab wound in the back at the Nagcarlan District Hospital, according to case investigator Chief M/Sgt. Moises Cuadla.

Police identified one of the suspects as John Mark Recto, 17, reportedly the owner of a motorcycle used in the killing.

Maj. Marlon Calonge, Nagcarlan police chief, said the killing could be due to an old grudge.

Calonge said Espaldon and the suspect figured in a quarrel on Dec. 4.

“With the help of the victim’s phone, we were able to identify the suspect through the exchange of their text messages,” Calonge said.

Footage from a closed-circuit television camera showed Espaldon walking along Gen. Luna street in Barangay Poblacion in the company of two girls.

A motorcycle with two men on board pulled over near the victim.

One of the men approached Espaldon from the back and stabbed him before fleeing.