FILE– Mervin Guarte wins gold in the Obstacle Course Racing in the 30th Southeast Asian Games Friday in Filinvest Alabang. –INQUIRER PHOTO / RICHARD A. REYES
Mervin Guarte, a national athlete who is also an Air Force non-commissioned officer, died after being stabbed in Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro.
Airman First Class Guarte, 33, a Southeast Asian Games multimedalist, was killed by an unidentified assailant at Sitio Pinagkaisahan, Barangay Camilmil at about 4:30 a.m. Tuesday.
In a phone interview with reporters in Camp Crame, Quezon City, Calapan City chief of police Lt. Col. Rodel Fulache, said Guarte was sleeping on a couch in his friend’s house, village Councilor Dante Albo Abel, when he was stabbed by the lone suspect with a kitchen knife on the left side of his chest.
READ: PH sports mourns death of SEA Games gold medalist Mervin Guarte
Fulache said Guarte visited his uncle in the area and had a drinking session with other people in the compound prior to the incident.
He said Guarte could not identify his attacker when the cops visited him in the hospital before he died.
“Based on our initial interview with Councilor Abel and other people in the area, he did not figure in a spat with anyone during the drinking session. They were drinking until 3 a.m.,” Fulache said.
READ: SEA Games 2023: Mervin Guarte relishes success in obstacle course racing
Guarte managed to stand up after being stabbed and sought help from Abel’s niece.
Fulache said even Abel’s relatives were unable to provide details since they were already sleeping when the incident happened.
Neighbors helped take him to Sta. Maria Village Hospital. He was later transferred to Mindoro Medical Center where he died.
Fulache said they are considering those who were in the drinking session with Guarte as persons of interest.
A bladed weapon without a handle which was believed to have been used by the suspect was recovered from the crime scene.
Guarte won two gold medals in the 2019 Manila and 2023 Cambodia SEA Games for obstacle racing. He also got two silver medals in the 2011 Indonesia SEA Games for athletics.
Olympic boxing medalists Nesthy Petecio and Eumir Felix Marcial expressed condolences and called for justice over the death of their fellow athlete.
Condemnation
Ahgie Radan, Elias Tabac, Mervin Guarte and Jay-R De Castro strike gold in the men’s obstacle relay. June Navarro/INQUIRER
Local officials of Oriental Mindoro province condemned the killing of Guarte.
Governor Humerlito Dolor, in a Facebook post, vowed to bring Guarte’s killer to justice.
“Maraming maraming salamat sa karangalan at pagmamahal mo sa bayan. Saludo kami sa iyo (Thank you for the honor and the love you brought to our nation. We salute you),” Dolor said.
Calapan City Mayor Malou Flores-Morillo also paid tribute to Guarte’s achievements as a national athlete.
“Melvin brought great honor to Calapan, especially his gold medal in the Southeast Asian Games which served as an inspiration to our people. The City of Calapan will not turn a blind eye on his gruesome murder and we are one with his family in seeking justice,” the mayor said.