LUCENA CITY – A man was injured in another hacking incident during a drinking session in Sariaya town in Quezon province on Sunday night amid a liquor ban imposed by the local government unit to curb the spread of COVID-19 and its variants, police said Monday.
Sariaya police reported that Ramil Abiar, 26, and his brother Reymart, 18, were having a drink in a house in Barangay (village) Janagdong around 9:35 p.m.
Suddenly, Jomarneil, Mark, and Erwin, all surnamed Manigbas; and Robinson Pantua, who were all allegedly drunk arrived and started a heated argument with the Abiar brothers. The three Manigbas men were relatives.
During the height of the altercation, one of the newcomers who had a bolo hacked Ramil on his back. Another suspect hit Reymart on his head with a hard object.
The group escaped after the incident.
Ramil was taken to Quezon Medical Center in Lucena City for treatment while police launched a manhunt to arrest the four suspects.
The local government of Sariaya has imposed a liquor ban from August 26 to September 30 to prevent gatherings which could spread COVID-19 in the locality.
On Saturday, a 20-year-old man in Lucena City was also seriously injured when he was hacked with a bolo after he refused the invitation for a drink.