Gay tag spurs violence

CEBU, Philippines - Five people were injured after a man went wild dawn yesterday at the Del Castillo Compound in Barangay Tipolo, Mandaue City.

Police said the suspect, Ronnie Villaflores, 44, reportedly got angry after one of the victims called him gay. He ran for councilman but lost in the recent barangay elections.

PO1 Fredeluo Quezon of Precinct 2 of the Mandaue City Police Office said Villaflores who was reportedly drunk at that time was walking past the victims’ group when he reportedly heard one of them saying, “ania na ang bayot (here comes the gay man).” The victims were also drinking at that time.

Villaflores then walked directly to his house, took a knife then went back out to attack the victims. The victims scampered away, but Villaflores still caught them and stabbed them.

Injured in the incident were Joy Avila, 34, Catherine Branzuela, 44, Michael Dean Alesna, 26, Rosendo Avila, 65. They sustained stab wounds in the back, arm and stomach.

The suspect’s mother, Lydia Villaflores, 60, who tried to stop her son, was also hurt in the forehead with the knife.

They are now being treated at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center. Villaflores, meanwhile, was arrested and is detained at precinct 2. — Brenda D. Batuto and Romeo T. Limpangog of Banat News/JMO (FREEMAN)