NBA Finals match triggers stabbing inside prov'l jail

POTOTAN, ILOILO, Philippines — Two inmates were stabbed by their fellow inmate at the Iloilo Provincial Integrated Jail (IPIJ) at Brgy. Nanga of this town Wednesday afternoon.

The victims were identified as Christopher Carreon, 38, and Mark Anthony Carvajal, 27, both from Oton, Iloilo. They were brought to the Iloilo Provincial Hospital but Carreon was transferred to a hospital in Iloilo City.

Carreon, who was convicted for a homicide charge, suffered 6 stab wounds while Carvajal, who is facing a rape charge, sustained stab wound on the left arm.

Reports said that the stabbing incident started with tensed feeling among the inmates after the Miami Heat got defeated by the Dallas Mavericks in Game 4 of the NBA finals Wednesday morning.

In the afternoon, while the inmates were out of their cell, the conversation was again turned to Heat's defeat, but this caused Carvajal, a Heat fan, to get irritated. He kicked a container filled with water, spilling the floor. This prompted Rolly Lacson, 42, of Dingle town—who is facing a murder case but acts as the "mayor" of Cell 53--to caution Carvajal.

But Carvajal and his group did not take Lacson's act well and they, armed with knives, rounded up on him. Outnumbered, Lacson left the scene but went back shortly later. Apparently, he just took a bladed weapon, and shortly after stabbed Carvajal and Carreon.

After the incident, Jail Inspector Jimmy Britanico, IPIJ deputy warden for administration, said Lacson was immediately transferred to another cell, but he could not, for now determine exactly how the inmates managed to sneak weapons into their cells.

Initial reports said that Lacson got his knife from another inmate, a certain Black Bodales.

Britanico assured, though, that they've been thorough in their inspection to jail visitors. "They might have been sneaking it through the back door. They might have gotten it from the kitchen personnel. But we're investigating all of these," he said, adding that they have been conducting greyhound operations to seize deadly weapons and contrabands from the inmates. (FREEMAN)