Teen helps another teen in rumble, stabbed instead

CEBU, Philippines — A 19-year-old man who tried to help another teen in the middle of a rumble ended up getting stabbed in Barangay Luray Dos, Toledo City on Friday evening.

Police identified the victim as Arnel Madrid Basillote, a resident of Barangay Dumlog, same city.

According to Police Chief Master Sergeant Thule Tahadlangit, initial investigation revealed that Basillote was about to fetch her girlfriend, a Grade 9 student in the nearby national high school, when a group of young men arrived, seemingly fighting.

During the commotion, one of the arriving men fell near where Basillote was standing so he assisted him to get up.

At this point, the other men started punching Basillote and one of them stabbed him in his back. Though wounded, Basillote managed to scamper away from the attackers.

He was later helped by residents and brought to the nearest hospital.

Basillote’s brother Romel, 29, told The FREEMAN yesterday that his brother was already out of harm’s way.

Police believed that Basillote’s attackers were students of the school as the facility is situated at a dead-end road.

“Ingon siya (ang biktima) nga wala na nagpolo ang mga batan-on pero mailhan nimo nga estudyante kay nag-pants pa man sila nga uniporme, gihubo lang ang polo (The victim said they were not wearing upper school uniform but they were still wearing school pants),” Tahadlangit said.

Because there were no closed circuit television cameras installed near the area, police admitted it will be hard to determine the perpetrators.

Arnel himself failed to recognize his attackers. His brother said that some of them covered their faces with handkerchiefs.

Romel maintained that his brother was innocent and was only dragged into the fight.

Arnel is the 10th in a brood of 13 siblings. He has long stopped going to school due to poverty, according to his brother. (FREEMAN)