18-year-old student facing homicide case after hitting classmate who died later

CEBU CITY, Philippines—An 18-year-old high school student is now detained at the Talisay City police station  after he allegedly punched a classmate that possibly caused his death in a basketball court in Barangay Dumlog, Talisay City on Thursday, January 9, 2020.

Police Master Sergeant Reynaldo Tañica of Talisay City police office said  a homicide case would be filed against the suspect, who was identified as Cigi Cristuta Galicia, 18, of Sitio Juana Barangay Biasong, Talisay City, on Monday, January 13, 2020.

Tañica said that a village watchman arrested Galicia, who figured in a fistfight with the victim identified as Nash Empaces, of Sitio Cabugnaan, Barangay San Isidro of the same city.

Tañica said that Empaces and Galicia had been classmates who had allegedly held grudges against each other.

“Kaning biktima sunlogun sa suspect nga upaw unya ang biktima sunlogun ang suspect nga bayot,” said .

(The suspect would tease the victim by calling him “bald”  while the victim would retaliate by calling the suspect “gay”.)

The two students were reported to have been messaging each other before the incident and had allegedly agreed to settle things through a fistfight in at the Deca Homes basketball court. 

Quoting the confession of the suspect, Tañica said that when Galicia and Empaces met at the court, the latter asked the former where the ball was, which Galicia only responded with a direct jab on the nape and rib area of Empaces, who then fell to the ground.

According to Tañica, the victim complained of being unable to breathe after being punched, which prompted village watchmen to call his parents.

The parents immediately arrived in the area and brought the victim to Talisay City District Hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.

In the interview with the police, Galicia was said to have immediately confessed about the incident, but he did not he show any remorse or regret of the incident. /bmjo