October 20, 2022
AN employee assigned at the Department of Public Works and Highways in Dalaguete town, southern Cebu was stabbed by another customer after he refused to give the microphone at a videoke bar in the said town.
The incident occurred around 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 19, 2022.
Ernie Canoy Mercolita, 42, married, of Barangay Poblacion, Alcoy town, sustained a knife wound in his neck.
The suspect was identified as Jesus Tangpus, Jr., 69, a former seaman from Barangay Banhigan, Dalaguete town.
It was learned that the suspect, who was already drunk, turned over the microphone to the victim after he finished singing two songs entitled “If” by Bread and Richard Reynoso’s “Paminsan minsan.”
Tangpus reportedly dropped another coins worth P100 to the videoke machine and selected five songs.
But when it was already his turn, the victim’s group allegedly refused to give the microphone to the suspect, prompting Tangpus to get a knife and slashed the leg of the victim.
“Ang suspek mao na untay sunod mokanta, naghinam-hinam na siya sa paboritong “Be My Lady” ni Marco Sison! unya ang microphone wala man gihatag ngadto niya sa kalagot gikuha ang kitchen knife gi-abis ang liog sa bitkima,” Police Major Gilfred Baroman, chief of Dalaguete Police Station, said in an interview with SunStar Cebu.
(The suspect was supposed to sing next, excited for his favorite song “Be My Lady” by Marco Sison but the microphone was not given to him prompting him to get a knife and slashed the victim’s neck with it).
The suspect also noticed that the waitress identified as Loraine Ebarola was busy entertaining the victim’s group despite him being a regular customer at the bar.
Police Corporal Jarvin Cordeta of Dalaguete Police Station cited jealousy as the motive of the incident.
Tangpus was arrested by the police after the incident.
The kitchen knife was also recovered from his possession.
The suspect admitted to the police that he got mad at the victim for being attended to by the waitress, but his anger had worsened when Mercolita refused to give the microphone to him.
The victim, on the other hand, could not remember what happened to him as he was drinking too much alcohol.
Baroman said the victim is now out of danger.
The suspect is scheduled to undergo inquest proceedings for his attempted murder case Friday, October 21, 2022. (GPL, TPT)