Suspect in Sibonga stabbing under hospital arrest pending murder charge

CEBU CITY, Philippines – The suspect in the fatal stabbing of his 21-year-old ex-girlfriend in Barangay Poblacion, Sibonga, last August 1 remains under hospital arrest as police prepare to file a murder charge against him.

Police Major Michael Calaurian, chief of the Sibonga Municipal Police Station, said in an interview that investigators are completing the requirements needed for the case.

“Sa pagkakaron, gi-prepare na nato ang mga requirements nga mga papel. Naghuwat nalang mi sa Soco report ug sa uban nga mga requirements para ma-file nato nga kaso nga murder sa suspect,” Calaurian said.

(As of now, we are preparing the requirements and documents. We are just waiting for the Soco report and other requirements so we can file a murder case against the suspect.)

Motive under investigation

Calaurian confirmed the suspect and the victim were both college classmates taking up the same course and had been in a relationship before breaking up about a month prior to the stabbing.

Police pointed to the suspect’s failed attempt to reconcile with the victim as the likely motive behind the attack.

“Kanang before sila magbuwag sa ingato nga panghitabo ba, nga ilang huna-hunaon nga if unsa mahitabo sa ilang kanang relasyon … dili siya sulbad ang paghimo og krimen kay kung dili mosugot ang babaye nga makig-balik sa lalaki,” Calaurian said.

(Before they broke up, they should have thought about what could happen to their relationship. Committing a crime is not the solution just because the woman refuses to get back together.)

Calaurian described the suspect as seemingly well-behaved, with no known drug involvement and known to be quiet and reserved.

Suspect visited to reconcile

According to Calaurian, the suspect went to the victim’s boarding house on the morning of the incident to ask her to get back together.

The victim’s sibling, who shared the room with her, stepped out to give the two privacy to talk.

The boarding house reportedly did not allow male visitors, but the rule had been waived for the suspect because of how long he and the victim had been in a relationship. The arrangement was cleared by the caretaker and the boarding house owner.

Sibling discovers crime scene

Police said that at around 10 a.m., the sibling returned to the room after stepping out and found both the victim and the suspect already bloodied.

The victim sustained a fatal stab wound to the neck, Calaurian said, while the suspect suffered self-inflicted stab wounds following the attack.

Responding officers arrived quickly enough to find the suspect still at the scene, Calaurian added.

As of this writing, the suspect remains under hospital arrest at a Cebu City hospital.

Police said they have yet to receive the Soco report needed to complete the murder charge.

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