ILOILO — Two suspected accomplices in the fatal stabbing of a 15-year-old boy in Barangay Capuling, Dueñas, Iloilo have surrendered to police, days after the violent incident that shocked the community, authorities confirmed.
The two minors, identified only by their aliases “Bulldog,” 17, and “Christian,” 15, voluntarily turned themselves in to the Dueñas Municipal Police Station accompanied by their parents, according to Police Corporal Regienald Lawague, the case investigator.
Lawague said the minors did not attempt to flee the town and were persuaded by their parents to surrender to authorities.
Their involvement in the killing was earlier confirmed by the primary suspect, an 18-year-old identified as “Don-don,” who was arrested shortly after the incident.
The victim, known by the alias “Ken,” a resident of Barangay Tahing, Calinog, Iloilo, was stabbed to death at around 10:15 p.m. on December 12, shortly after attending the lighting of Christmas decorations at the Dueñas town plaza.
Police said Ken had been with four friends after the event. The group, composed of teenagers aged 14 to 17, was on its way home when they decided to briefly stop by a friend’s house.
While traveling, the group noticed three individuals watching them, an encounter that quickly escalated into a confrontation rooted in a previous dispute between the two groups, investigators said.
As tensions rose, Ken and his companions attempted to flee on their motorcycles. Ken, however, became separated from the group, ran toward a nearby field, and was overtaken by his attackers.
Authorities said the confrontation turned into a violent struggle in which Ken was brutally stabbed multiple times. He sustained 13 stab wounds—two to the abdomen, two to the back, seven to the right leg, and two to the left leg.
Emergency responders rushed Ken to a hospital, but he was declared dead on arrival.
Police launched a hot pursuit operation following the attack, leading to the arrest of Don-don, who has been charged with homicide. During questioning, the suspect admitted to using a knife but claimed he had already disposed of the weapon, which has yet to be recovered.
Investigators believe a history of conflict between the two groups fueled the intense anger that led to the fatal attack.
The two minors who surrendered, along with the 18-year-old suspect, are now under the custody of the Department of Social Welfare and Development for appropriate processing in accordance with laws governing children in conflict with the law./PN
