An argument on who among them killed more snakes sent a drinking session to a bloody ending after a 54-year-old fisherman was hacked to death then beheaded by two brothers in barangay Marigondon, Lapu-Lapu City.
Police said the suspects used a “pinuti (long bolo)” in killing Florencio Lobo.
The suspects, Russel Colocado, 43, and Junjun Nadela, 41, escaped after the attack.
The victim’s wife, Apolinaria, told police that her husband and the two suspects drank “tuba” (coconut wine) in Colocado’s store Monday night.
Two other neighbors were with them but they went home earlier.
Apolinario said she went to the store to ask her husband to go home since it was already 11 p.m.
The wife said she heard the three men talk about a snake that was found in the house of Colocado and Nadela.
Colocado and Nadela shared they were not able to kill the snake.
The two brothers boasted they had killed five snakes, but Lobo countered that he had slayed 10 snakes and some of them ended up on dining table as viand.
The wife said the argument continued until Colocado entered his house, but returned a few minutes later already armed with a bolo.
The wife said she tried to pacify the arguing neighbors when Colocado hacked her husband in the back.
Apolinaria said she tried to stop Colocado but Nadela grabbed her.
Lobo was able to run but Colocado chased him and repeatedly hacked him, the wife said.
“Gihanaan pa gyud ko sa pinuti, nahadlok na ko, mao nidagan ko (He threatened to hack me with the bolo that forced me to run due to fear),” said Apolinaria.
Apolinaria rushed to the Marigondon Police Station to seek help.
Police rushed to the crime scene and found the headless body of Lobo a few meters from where they had a drinking session.
The severed head was found in a car tire.
The victim bore several hack wounds in the chest and back.
A sheath was also found in the crime scene.
Police said the gruesome killing shocked residents since the suspects were known to be silent-type and good persons.
Police said murder charges are being readied against the suspects.
An operation to arrest the suspects is ongoing, police said.