Journalist among those killed in Pasay condo stabbing

A veteran journalist was one of the five people stabbed to death inside the 25-story Central Park Tower Condominium in Pasay City on Tuesday night.

In an interview on dzBB on Wednesday, Ben Cal, former acting executive editor and managing editor of the Philippine News Agency, confirmed that his friend, Joel Palacios, was one of those who died in the stabbing incident.

Palacios, 70, was a former journalist who worked for the Associated Press and Manila Standard. He was also vice-president for media affairs of the Social Security System.

Cal said he received the confirmation from the wife of Palacios who sustained injuries from the incident.

"Pati misis niya nasaksak. Pinakwento ko sa kanya kung anong nangyari. Ngayon 'yun pala nagjo-jogging at may kasama siya. So 'yung nangyari 'yung nag-amok, nakita si Joel. Sinasaksak ngayon. So pati siya nasaksak rin pero naka-survive. Pero si Joel talagang namatay," Cal said.

"'Yung misis niya umiiyak kanina. Humihingi ng tulong dahil sabi niya si Joel wala, ako nasaksak dito ako sa ospital. Hopefully 'yung mga kasamahan natin sa media, makatulong kayo. Magaling na journalist 'yang si Joel," he added.

National Capital Region Police Office chief Director Oscar Albayalde said operatives killed the suspect, identified as Alberto Garan, when he was cornered on the 22nd floor of the building.

Among the slain victims were Garan's girlfriend, Emelyn Sagun and a 12-year-old girl.

Police said that after stabbing Sagun, Garan pushed her body off the staircase. Her body was later discovered in the building's basement with a stab wound on her side. —Marlly Rome Bondoc/KG/ALG, GMA News