7 stabbing suspects arrested

POLICE have arrested seven of 10 people, including three minors, who were tagged as responsible for the killing of a 22-year-old man in an east coast village of Zamboanga City.

Four of the suspects were identified as Jerry Maransi; Luisito Amador, 22; Omar Navarro, 20; and Manuling Argao, 19. Police withheld the names of the three other minor suspects.

At large are James Lubad, Rene Lubad, and Alker Gantalao, the police said.

The suspects were nabbed after they allegedly killed Edwin Catubig, 22, shortly after 10 p.m. Wednesday in front of a lodging house in the village of Tumaga, 4.3 kilometers east of the city.

Investigation showed that Catubig was walking along the road when one of the suspects, Maransi, boxed him.

Not contented, Maransi pulled a knife and stabbed Catubig, the police said.

The suspects, who are employees of an ampao (rice crispies) factory, were seen having a drinking spree prior to the incident and were returning for work when they crossed path with the victim.

The victim was rushed to the hospital but was declared dead on arrival by the attending physicians, police said.

Maransi and the other suspects who aided the former in the commission of the crime were arrested by village watchmen, who turned them over to the police for appropriate action.

A manhunt operation was launched to arrest the other three suspects. (Bong Garcia)