By Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD City – A Grade 10 student died few hours later after he was stabbed by a man believed to be high on illegal drugs in front of VMA Global College in Barangay Sum-ag here Wednesday morning.
Police withheld the name of the 16-year-old male fatality.
Police Lieutenant Jonito Pastrana, head of Police Station 9, said the victim along with his classmates went out for lunch around 11:50 a.m., when the suspect identified as 27-year-old Ray Jan Carmelotes suddenly attacked him with a kitchen knife.
The teenager-victim fell to the ground and the suspect attempted to escape but he was cornered by the school’s security guard and nearby police beat patrollers.
Police recovered the bladed weapon used in the crime.
Pastrana said the victim sustained seven stab wounds in the stomach, neck, and other parts of his body.
He was rushed to South Bacolod General Hospital & Medical Center Inc., where he expired around 4 p.m.
Pastrana said the suspect alleged that he committed the crime because of grudge.
He (Carmelotes) also alleged that the victim has debts to his brother, the station commander added.
Pastrana said Carmelotes waited for the victim to come out of the school to carry out his plan.
Pastrana said Carmelotes was monitored to have been engaging in illegal drug activity based on the information.
He (suspect) had also previous records on theft and illegal gambling, Pastrana said.
Meanwhile, Carmelotes, in a media interview, said that he was just passing by when he thought of attacking the victim.
“Wala ko kabalo. Gulpi lang man abi,” he said.
He also said that he was previously using illegal drugs but he already stopped.
Police are still probing what really triggered the suspect to commit the crime.
