Jealous man stabs another for shaking common-law partner’s hand

Ramie Pepito, 41, was already dead when medical personnel arrived at the Karaoke bar in Barangay Pit-os, Cebu City Friday night. | Paul Lauro

CEBU CITY, Philippines –Jealousy led a 25-year-old man from Barangay Pit-os in Cebu City to kill another who was trying to praise his common-law partner for her good singing voice.

Randel Sanchez, a street vendor, told police that he regretted killing Ramie Pepito, a farmer from the mountain barangay of Mabini also in Cebu City.

Police Staff Sergeant Joseph Grande of the Talamban Police Station said they are now preparing a murder charge that will be filed against Sanchez on Monday, March 9, 2020.

Quoting the outcome of their investigation, Grande said that Sanchez and his common-law partner, Flore Mae Cogtas, 20, were drinking in a karaoke bar in Sitio Katuoran that is located near the barangay gymnasium with three other friends at around 10 p.m. on Friday when Pepito, 41, joined their group uninvited.

Grande said that Pepito, who was also drunk,  kept on praising Cogtas, who was singing then, for her good singing voice. When she finished her song, Pepito shook Cogtas’ hands which angered Sanchez.

Sanchez, he said, brought out a knife that he was carrying and stabbed Pepito hitting him on the left side of his neck.

Pepito was already dead when medical personnel arrived in the area.

Grande said that Sanchez did not bother to escape. He merely sat on a chair and waited for the police to arrive.  He, later on, told the police that he regretted having killed Pepito.

Sanchez said that he was angry after Pepito shook Cogtas’ hands without his permission.

Grande said they are now waiting for Pepito’s family to appear at the police station so they could act as the complainant in the murder charge that they are now preparing against Sanchez. / dcb