*from a local newspaper in Iloilo City*

CIDG chief’s nephew stabbed dead

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

Murder charges will be filed against 10 persons involved in the mauling and stabbing to death of a 19-year-old college student in General Luna Street, Iloilo City Monday evening.

Harlson Mark Azucena of MYL Subdivision, Brgy. Buhang, Jaro district and his four friends were waiting for a jeepney bound for Leganes, Iloilo when the group of Allen Saquilan accosted them.

Saquilan, 20, of Brgy. San Lorenzo, LaPaz, and his gang then mauled and stabbed Azucena, an information technology student of the University of San Agustin.

Azucena died of three stab wounds in the chest at the Iloilo Doctors Hospital. He also suffered injuries in various parts of his body.

The 10 suspects fled from the scene but responding officers of the Iloilo City Police Station (ICPS) 1 collared six of them after several hours of hot pursuit operations.

Among those arrested were Saquilan, Bryan Gallarte, 20, of Delgado Street, Iloilo City Proper; Dave Gangoso, 18, of De Leon Street, Iloilo City Proper, Mark Joseph Latonero, 18, and Donna Mojal, 18, both of Imperial Homes Subdivision, Mandurriao; and Swizer Tacorum, 19, of Brgy. Timawa.

Still at-large are Joseph Segura, Jake Talavera, a certain Joy and alias Cuba.

ICPS chief Conrado Carganillo said they are still hunting the remaining suspects even as they are preparing murder charges against them.

Carganillo said they are following the angles of love triangle, an old grudge and sheer tripping as motives for the incident.

Azucena is the nephew of Senior Supt. Renato Gumban, regional head of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group. He is also the grandson of former Iloilo City vice mayor Guillermo Dela Llana.

Gumban said they will file the charges against his nephew’s killers today after gathering the evidence and statements of the witnesses.

Gumban said the arrested suspects initially denied involvement in Azucena’s death by they started spilling the beans after hours of investigation.

“One of the suspects is turning state witness as he has been telling us who were present when the victim was mauled and stabbed,” Gumban added.