A 23-year-old college student was found dead inside an Iloilo school dormitory’s bathroom yesterday after he was allegedly killed by a fellow student.
ABS-CBN News identified the victim as Willy Amihoy, a native of Tayasan, Negros Occidental and a first year college student in the Iloilo State College of Fisheries (ISCOF) in Dumangas. He was allegedly killed by 22-year-old Elmer Decilao, a resident of Barangay (Village) Ermita in Dumangas town, Iloilo.
Decilao is a graduating student who is the corps commander of the school‘s Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC), while Amihoy was a cadet, The Philippine Daily Inquirer reported.
Decilao was allegedly angry that Amihoy accused him of stealing his wallet, Iloilo Police chief Senior Superintendent Marlon Tayaba said, according to CNN Philippines.
“The suspect got pissed, and due to his anger following the accusations, the suspect attacked the victim,” Tayaba said in Filipino.
Decilao then allegedly hit Amihoy on the head repeatedly with a steel pipe. The victim succumbed to head injuries.
School security guard Rex Damian told Inquirer that he went to check the boys’ dormitory after hearing the commotion. He saw blood on the kitchen floor and followed drops of blood that led him to the toilet where the victim was lying face down on the floor.
Decilao reportedly tried to flee the scene, but was nabbed by police, Pilipino Star Ngayon reported.
He is now detained at the Dumangas police station. Authorities said he will face murder charges.
The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) condemned Amihoy’s untimely death and said violence shouldn’t be allowed in schools.
CHR spokesperson Jacqueline de Guia was quoted saying by Philippine Star: “It is unfortunate that both were under a national program (ROTC) meant to develop physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social well-being.
“Violence should never be allowed in schools and universities — places where we expect our children to learn and grow in safe environments that even stand as their second homes.”
The police, however, said that the crime was linked to the ROTC program. The military also said that the matter was between the involved individuals.
“This is a fight between two private individuals over personal matters. This has nothing to do with ROTC,” military spokesman Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo told CNN Philippines in Filipino.
