SEA GAMES GOLD MEDALIST STABBED IN CHEST WHILE SLEEPING IN ORIENTAL MINDORO

A NATIONAL athlete who is also an Air Force non-commissioned officer on Tuesday died after being stabbed while sleeping in Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro.

Airman First Class Mervin Guarte, 33, a Southeast Asian Games multimedalist, was stabbed in the chest by an unidentified assailant at his friends house in Sitio Pinagkaisahan, Bgy. Camilmil, Calapan City at about 4:30 a.m. Tuesday.

The victim, assigned at the Philippine Air Force’s San Fernando Air Base in Lipa City, Batangas was stabbed while sleeping on the sofa of the house of  kagawad Dante Abel after a drinking session with some friends.

Guarte managed to seek help from nearby residents, who rushed him to the Sta. Maria Village Hospital for emergency aid before being transferred to the Mindoro Medical Center, where an attending physician declared him dead upon arrival.

A blood-stained knife believed to have been used in the killing was recovered by investigators and will be subjected to a forensic investigation by the Philippine National Police Forensic Group to determine if it both had the DNA samples of the victim and the suspect.

Local residents who joined Guarte in the drinking session are being questioned by the police as part of their effort to identify the killer and establish his motive.

Based on initial investigation, the victim went to the place for a drinking bout which started on Monday night and lasted until 3 a.m. Tuesday.

He was sleeping when attacked with a knife by the suspect.

His fellow athletes are mourning  his death.

Guarte brought fame and glory to the Philippines with his major victories in previous SEA Games, a biennial multi-sports event featuring top athletes from 11 Southeast Asian countries.

The victim won two silver medals in the men’s 800-meter and 1500-meter track events during the 26^th SEA Games held from November 11 to 22, 2011 in Jakarta, Indonesia.

During the 30^th edition of the SEA Games held in Manila from November 30 to December 11, 2019, he bagged a gold medal in the men’s 5-kilometer race.

He was also a part of the gold-winning Philippine men’s team relay team during the 32^nd edition of the SEA Games held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia from May 5 to 17, 2023.

The bemedaled athlete also ruled the Spartan 2024 APAC Championship men’s beast 21-km category held in Fiji in November last year.

The Philippine sports community is mourning the tragic death of Guarte.

“Today, the Pilipinas Obstacle Sports Federation mourns the passing of one of our National Athletes, Mervin Guarte. He was our OG, having been part of our Team since 2018. He gave the country two gold SEA Games medals in 2019 and 2023. With Mervin, we won as one,” said POSF president Alberto Agra in a heartfelt tribute.

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.