Man stabs “Tatay” to death in Carbon public market incident

A man known as “Tatay” was stabbed to death on Saturday morning, June 8, by a certain Joseph Fernandez, who reportedly had a personal grudge with the victim. CDND PHOTO / Benjie Talisic

CEBU CITY, Philippines – He is known as “Tatay” in the area, who goes about his early morning task of sweeping a portion of the Carbon Public Market along F. Gonzales Street in Barangay Santo Niño.

Vendors, who usually hire Tatay, to pay for his sweeping task, said they do not know where Tatay lives or where his family is.

Tatay, who is estimated to be between 45 to 50 years old, sleeps in the area: on vegetable carts, benches or tables. He survives with the money that vendors pay him from running small errands.

No one in the area said that Tatay is an ill-tempered person or that he was involved in the illegal drug trade.

This is why it came as a shock to many vendors that at 3 a.m. on Saturday, July 8, Tatay was stabbed to death by a certain Joseph Fernandez.

Tatay obtained three stab wounds: one to his stomach and two below his right armpit.

Fernandez, 36, and a resident of Barangay Basak San Nicolas, reportedly had a personal grudge against Tatay.

He, however, did not elaborate on the details.

“Wala na nako kapugni akong kalagot niya (I could not control my anger toward him),” he told CDN Digital.

Police Senior Master Sergeant Dario Manatad, the case investigator from Waterfront Police Station, said the victim was already dead when personnel from the Cebu City Government’s Emergency Medical Services arrived at the crime scene.

Medical responders arrived in the area seeing the dead victim holding the knife used to kill him.

Manatad said witnesses saw Fernandez walking up to the victim and stabbed him on the stomach and then stabbed the victim twice.

Fernandez ran away after the victim fell on the ground.

He tried to fled the scene on board a motorcycle driven by another person.

Major Joemar Pomarejos, chief of Waterfront Police Station, said the motorcycle driver, who did not know that Fernandez stabbed a man, drove the suspect toward Plaridel Street, where the police force had a checkpoint.

After seeing the police, Fernandez reportedly commanded the driver to turn the other way around. But police were already informed about Fernandez and a couple of concerned citizens also followed Fernandez.

The police then chased and captured Fernandez along Pelaez Street.

Fernandez is currently detained at the Precinct 3 of Waterfront Police Station pending the filing of a case against him. / celr