Laborer kills co-worker at construction site

Revenge may have led a construction worker to repetitively stab and kill his coworker early yesterday morning at a church in Sampaloc, Manila.

Police identified the victim as Mario Gorpedo, 27, stay-in construction worker of Flashbuilt Construction Inc. and native of Northern Samar. The suspect was identified as Jonard Caberte, 35, co-worker of the victim and native of Negros Occidental.

Case officer PO 3 Marlon San Pedro disclosed the incident happened around 4:30 a.m. Sunday at the construction site of Grace Gospel Church located in Mangga Avenue corner Buenos Aires Street in Sampaloc.

Initial investigation said that the suspect may have taken advantage of the victim who was asleep and repetitively stabbed him then casually walked away.

Moments later, a co-worker, Anito Galias, saw the suspect escaping the scene as he attended to Gorpedo who was fatally wounded, gasping for breath on his wooden bed.

The victim was rushed to Ospital ng Sampaloc but was declared dead on arrival. Examination showed that he had multiple stab wounds in different parts of his body that led to his death.

“[The reason for the killing] may be out of revenge, because last Friday, the victim along with his unknown companion ganged up on the suspect’s brother who is also their co- worker,” San Pedro told Manila Bulletin.