By Jennifer P. Rendon
Four men suffered stab wounds following a fracas late evening of May 11, 2021 in Lambunao, Iloilo.
Wounded were Reno Arceño, 25, and his older brother, Kenneth Arceño, 30; and their cousins Josh (not his real name), 16, and Jayson Amborgo, 21.
Corporal Risan Larroza, Lambunao police investigator, said the four are residents of the hinterland village of Pughanan, the area where the incident happened.
Reno suffered injuries on his left armpit and left bicep; Josh was hit on the left leg; Jayson was wounded on his right bicep; while Kenneth had an injury on his left hand.
It was initially reported that the four were stabbed by two unidentified men.
“But during our follow-up investigation, we learned that the four wounded persons identified those who stabbed them,” Larroza said.
Police pointed to Gilbert Arca and Justin Ajeno, also residents of Pughanan village, as the suspects.
It appeared that the four denied knowing their “attackers,” as investigation showed that they instigated the incident.
Prior to the commotion, the four victims and their alleged assailants went to a relative’s wake in Pughanan.
All of them were drunk.
During a card game, Reno and Justin had a verbal tussle.
When Justin and Gilbert went home around 11:50 p.m. Tuesday, Reno and three others manhandled them several meters from the wake.
Outnumbered, the duo was easily overpowered.
As one of them was slumped on the ground, he took a knife and haphazardly swung it.
“That’s why, the stab injuries of the four men were not fatal. It was just meant to prevent them from further attacking Gilbert and Justin,” Larroza said.
The four were rushed to Dr. Ricardo Ladrido Memorial District Hospital while the two immediately fled and remain at large as of this writing.
Larroza said the four have yet to inform the police authorities if they plan to pursue criminal charges against Gilbert and Justin.
