A 34-YEAR-OLD man was arrested by police Sunday afternoon, October 2, 2022, hours after he allegedly killed a fellow worker during a drinking session in Barangay Cabancalan, Mandaue City, Cebu.
Police Captain Armil Coloscos, chief of the Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO) Station 4 in Barangay Casuntingan, identified the suspect as Juven Cusil Reyes, a resident of Kalawit, Zamboanga del Norte.
Reyes worked as a painter of a trucking corporation in Cabancalan.
The victim was identified as Eric Cabaluna Ocañada, 48, of Barangay Jaclupan, Talisay City, a maintenance mechanic.
Coloscos told SunStar Cebu on Monday, October 3, that Ocañada would often reprimand Reyes in their workplace.
He said the suspect might have lost his patience, as he decided to kill the victim after they were left to finish a couple of bottles after their co-workers went to rest.
The two had a drinking session with other co-workers that started Saturday night, October 1, and ended Sunday dawn in their workplace's garage.
Coloscos said Reyes stabbed the victim multiple times using two weapons, a 24-inch cutlass sword and a kitchen knife.
The victim's face was distorted due to multiple stab wounds, and he incurred a big cut on his neck aside from the stab wounds all over his body, said Coloscos.
Coloscos said a witness found the victim's lifeless body around 9:27 a.m. in the garage and immediately reported the incident to the authorities.
The police official narrated that the suspect was seen getting out of his workplace around 5 a.m. Sunday and reportedly went to a nearby sari-sari store and told its vendor to call the police before fleeing.
Reyes was arrested in his residence in Barangay Catarman, Lilo-an town, northern Cebu, during a follow-up operation around 2:30 p.m. of the same day.
The suspect admitted to the crime and confessed he did it because the victim would often criticize his work and scold him.
Reyes is temporarily detained at the MCPO Station 6 in Barangay Canduman and will face charges of murder. (HIC)