Police told: Pursue suspects in FEU stabbing case

MANILA -- Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim has ordered policemen to pursue the suspects in the stabbing incident allegedly committed by six female students of the Far Eastern University (FEU) last week.

The feisty mayor tasked the officials of the Manila Police Station 4 to get Christina Acosta, nursing student, the suspect who was already identified by authorities. 

Together with five other students, Acosta allegedly stabbed Joanne Lourdes Reyes, 20, a student of the University of Santo Tomas. The victim reportedly went to FEU to attend a film showing when she was attacked by the suspects inside the campus.

Reyes was also allegedly pepper-sprayed in the face before she was stabbed about five to six times. She is in stable condition but still confined at the Chinese General Hospital.

Lim has ordered law enforcers to investigate and file the necessary charges against Acosta and get from her the identity of the other suspects.

"[H]uwag titigalan ang pagtugis sa mga suspects ng FEU case. Mananagot ang lahat ng dapat managot," said Lim.

The Manila mayor also asked the police to find out if the suspects are indeed members of sororities.

Although the motive of the crime is yet to be determined, authorities have not ruled out sorority war as one of the causes of the incident.

The FEU said in a statement last week that school officials are "taking the matter very seriously" and that full cooperation in the investigation will be given by the university.

Few days after the incident, Lim also called for a revamp in the Manila police force amid the reported increased criminality including carnapping in the city. (Emmanuel Louis Bacani/Sunnex)