Manila: Five people died, while four others were wounded, after a man went on a stabbing rampage inside an apartment complex in Metro Manila on Tuesday evening.
Thirty-six year-old suspect Robert Garan was having an argument with his partner Emelyn Sagun, 30, when he exploded in a fit of rage and killed her and several others — including a veteran journalist.
According to National Capital Region Police Office Director, Oscar Albayalde, Garan stabbed Sagun before pushing her off the stairwell, causing her to plunge several flights from the 16th floor, to the basement of the Central Park Tower Condominium in Pasay City.
After killing his partner, Garan turned his attention to a 12-year-old girl, Desiree Castillo.
He repeatedly stabbed the girl, leading to her death, Albayalde said.
The police official said the incident started at around 6.30pm on Tuesday.
Joel Palacios, a 70-year-old journalist, and his common law wife Belcris Elorde were also attacked.
The couple were living in an apartment unit in the same complex.
Belcris survived but Palacios died from stab wounds.
The other two killed in the incident were Ligaya Dimapilis and Leticia Ecsiargan while those injured include April Joy Sagarino, Arlyn Dian Cordero at Margie Morales.
Responding police commandos of the Pasay City Special Weapons and Tactics unit shot to death Garan several hours after the incident started.
Colleagues mourned the death of Palacios, an amiable person who they said was always willing to help others.
Palacios had worked for foreign news outfits such as Reuters, the South China Morning Post, among others.
He wrote for local publications the most recent being the Manila Times, where he was one of the editors.
He had gone on semi-retirement in his last years, writing freelance articles.
Palacios had also been active with journalists’ organisations such as the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines and National Union of Journalists of the Philippines.
