Manhunt continues for suspect who killed coworker with a barbell in Balamban

A man died on Sunday, September 22, hours after he was stabbed with a knife and pounded with an improvised barbell several times allegedly by his friend and coworker during a fistfight in Barangay Biasong, Balamban, southern Cebu. | Contributed Photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Authorities are searching for a man accused of killing his coworker by stabbing him and pounding a homemade barbell on his head inside their shared sleeping quarters in Barangay Biasong, Balamban, Midwest Cebu, on Sunday, September 22.

The victim, identified as Marjun Andaya, a 21-year-old native of Negros Oriental, passed away hours after the incident.

A manhunt operation is now underway for the suspect, Wenbie Delima, a resident of Leyte town, Leyte.

Both individuals were stay-in farmhands at a poultry farm in Barangay Biasong, Balamban, according to police.

Police Major Ian Macatangay, chief of the Public Information Office of the Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO), said they received a report about the incident from a concerned citizen at around 7:40 a.m.

When officers arrived, they found Andaya with multiple bruises and stab wounds on his body.

Macatangay shared that the suspect and the victim had been drinking at a disco in Sitio Labagan, in the same barangay, a day before the incident.

Balamban police chief, Police Lieutenant Colonel Julius Garcia, said the two were dancing while drunk when they suddenly got into a fistfight.

Their acquaintances broke up the fight and brought Andaya back to the farm first.

After losing the fight to the larger Andaya, Delima allegedly sought revenge when he returned home.

At around 5:30 a.m., another employee heard the two having another fistfight in their room, prompting him to call for help.

However, when they arrived at the room, they found Delima outside the door, hurriedly leaving.

Delima allegedly told them, “Nahinaykan gyud nako si Marjun. Ayaw nalang mo ug apil-apil, kay basin ug balikon tamo diri,” before fleeing.

According to Garcia, the suspect stabbed Andaya multiple times and dropped a barbell on his head and body as the fight escalated.

Andaya died at the Balamban Provincial Hospital at around 9 a.m. on Sunday.

Authorities recovered a kitchen knife without a handle and a handmade barbell from the crime scene.

Garcia stated that a manhunt operation is ongoing to apprehend Delima, who was last spotted in Leyte on Monday evening, September 23.

He also disclosed that they are verifying reports of the suspect’s involvement in a separate murder case in Bacoor City, Cavite.

As of this writing, police have yet to determine the motive behind the killing.

Charges of murder are now being prepared against the suspect, who remains at large.

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