Injured	Killed
0	1

Date: 01 January 2011
Source: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/metro/view/20110101-312035/Deadly-argument-over-firecrackers

MANILA, Philippines—A simple argument over firecrackers drove a 33-year-old street gang member to stab to death his teenage housemate 45 minutes into the New Year’s Day in Manila.

Henry Villarin, a member of the Bahala na Gang (BNG), of 1858 Oro B Street in Sta. Ana, fled immediately after repeatedly knifing 19-year-old Rodel Rodriguez and is now the object of a police hunt.

PO3 Efren Flores of the Manila Police District homicide section said that the incident happened at around 12:45 a.m. Saturday on Oro B Street in Sta. Ana.

Before the incident, according to Flores, the drunken Villarin had been exploding firecrackers outside his home, when Rodriguez approached him.

“As soon as he (Villarin) threw a lighted firecracker, Rodriguez would snuff out the burning fuse and grab the firecracker so he could explode it himself,” Flores told the Inquirer.

Villarin immediately confronted the teenager, prevailing upon him to stop “stealing” the fun out of exploding his firecrackers.

But even then, the case investigator said, the teenager continued to step on the burning fuses of the firecrackers Villarin threw and took them. This irked the BNG member and an argument ensued leading to a fistfight.

It was during the brawl that Villarin drew a knife and stabbed Rodriguez four times in the chest and in the back. The badly injured victim was brought by neighbors to the Ospital ng Sta. Ana, where he succumbed to his wounds.