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COTABATO CITY — A police probe has recently established that a verbal tussle among three drunk men as to who gets to smoke a stick of cigarette led to the beheading of one of them last Aug. 15 in Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat province.
Lt. Col. Joan Maganto, Tacurong City police chief, said what could have been a small misunderstanding between friends Jonre Imba Barselosa, 21, Jenil Pagelo Malila, 22, and Edcher Pama, 41, all of San Emmanuel village, was blown out of proportion because they were drunk.
According to Corporal Ellrey Dasmarinas, police investigator on the case, the three had downed two 750-ml bottles and another 375-ml bottle of rum when the incident happened at around 4 a.m.
Investigation further established that Barselosa and Malila first mauled Pama before hacking his head off.
The two were about to bury the victim when a neighbor, who witnessed the crime, alerted the village watchmen and had the duo arrested.
Maganto said the suspects eventually confessed to the crime.
Both Barselosa and Malila are now facing murder charges.