Father killed while breaking up son’s fight with neighbors

MANILA, Philippines–A man who was just breaking up a fight between his son and his neighbors was killed in Manila on Sunday night.

The Manila Police District identified the victim as Edgar Arceo, a resident of Sta. Cruz, Manila, while the suspect was identified as Jerick de Leon, their 20-year-old neighbor.

The incident happened around 8 p.m. on Sunday at the corner of Lope de Vega and T. Alonzo Streets in Sta. Cruz, Manila.

According to the sworn statement of Arceo’s 18-year-old son, Erwin, the incident started while he and his friends were seated in a tricycle parked in the area.

Suddenly, De Leon’s father, who was apparently drunk, shouted at them, claiming they were stealing the wheels of the tricycle.

Erwin said that he apologized to the father who was not named and explained that they were not doing anything of the sort. That was when De Leon and his brother, Jason, ganged up on him, he added. Erwin said he evaded the punches the siblings threw at him but they continued to attack him.

It was then that Arceo stepped in to break up the fight. Although the siblings did not want to stop, they backed down as Arceo and Erwin returned to their house.

De Leon, however, came back wielding a knife. He then stabbed Arceo once in the back before running away.

Arceo was rushed to Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center where he was treated for the stab wound. Although he was sent home, he returned to the hospital because of difficulty in breathing. He died on Monday morning. The police have yet to arrest De Leon.