Man stabbed by co-worker in putting up campaign posters; brother arrested

A man was stabbed to death by a co-worker in putting up campaign posters along Marzan Street in Sampaloc, Manila, according to a "24 Oras" report by Jhomer Apresto on Wednesday.

CCTV footage of the incident showed the victim, "Rod (not his real name)", and his brother, "Mike," sitting together at around 9 a.m. on Tuesday when a man suddenly hit him on the head with a speaker.

The suspect was seen kicking Rod before pulling out a knife and attempting to stab him, alarming the sibling.

Rod was then stabbed several times before the suspect was able to stab his head. Meanwhile, his brother Mike was able to escape.

Later that night, Mike was arrested after causing a scene in front of the barangay and attempting to stab one of the Kagawads of Barangay 447.

“Bigla niyang hinugot [yung kutsilyo at] hinabol ako, syempre tumakbo ako! Nakakita ako ng kahoy o sige sumugod ka… ‘Yun na nga, may dumating na na pulis. Oh nakita po nila, dalawang kutsilyo ang nakuha ng pulis natin eh… Kung may madamay?” said Kagawad Vicente Brutas.

(He suddenly pulled out [the knife] and chased me, of course I ran! I saw a piece of wood and said okay, chase me down… That’s when the police came. They saw it, the police seized two knives… What if someone else got hurt?)

Mike explained that he only had the weapons as self-defense after the suspect started to send him and his family threats should they attempt to seek revenge for the death of Rod.

“Yung kutsilyo po, galing sa bahay ko yan… Kumbaga po, bibili ako ng pagkain ko… self- defense,” said Mike.

(My knife was from my house… I was planning to buy food for myself… Self-defense.)

Make said the suspect and the victim were co-workers hired to put up posters for a candidate in the 2025 National and Local Elections (NLE) and that the suspect lived in the victim’s house for over a month.

The suspect and victim allegedly had a fight after he was kicked out of the house.

“Eh pinapalayas na nga siya kasi may dala siyang bato, kung sino-sino pinapaakyat… Dahil sayo, Boy, na may kutsilyo ako! Pati ako makukulong dahil sa ginagawa mo, Boy!” said Mike.

(He was being kicked out because he was carrying drugs, and was letting several people inside… Because of you, Boy, I had a knife! I will be jailed too because of what you did, Boy!)

Authorities are backtracking on activities that led to the incident as part of efforts to arrest the suspect. — Jiselle Anne Casucian/BAP, GMA Integrated News