GENERAL SANTOS CITY — A heated family argument over dinner turned deadly after a 28-year-old man fatally stabbed his own father on Wednesday night in Purok 11-A, Barangay Fatima.
Police identified the victim as alias Patrono, 51, a resident of Barangay Dadiangas North, and the suspect as his son, alias Jeric, a resident of Barangay Fatima.
According to the initial police report, the family was having dinner when an argument suddenly erupted between father and son over the viand. The dispute escalated when the father, alias Jun, allegedly challenged the younger Jeric to a fistfight. Unbeknownst to him, the son had already grabbed a knife—leading to the fatal stabbing.
The father was rushed to the nearest hospital but was declared dead on arrival. Responding police officers immediately arrested Jeric.
What shocked authorities was the family’s decision not to pursue charges. Within 24 hours, Jeric’s siblings informed investigators that they would not be filing a case, expressing pity for Jeric’s young children. This decision allowed the suspect to walk free shortly after detention.
However, despite this choice, the pain inside the household remains overwhelming.
In an interview, Jeric’s sister, alias Jane, admitted that conflict between their father and her older brother was not new. She revealed that the two frequently clashed—sometimes in minor arguments, other times in heated confrontations—especially when alcohol was involved.
“There were times when their fights became physical. But we were not there when this happened. We couldn’t stop him,” she said, her voice breaking. She added that it is a painful reality to accept that their own brother killed their father.
Family members also confessed that the pattern of quarrels between father and son had become so common that relatives had grown used to witnessing the two men lose their temper “ginagmay man o dako ang rason.”
Police confirmed that Jeric has since fled, and his current whereabouts remain unknown. His siblings say they are unsure where he may have gone.
Despite their earlier decision not to file charges, the family continues to grieve—torn between compassion for a brother and unbearable sorrow for their father’s death.
Authorities emphasized that even without a formal complaint, a parricide case may still be pursued if new evidence or witnesses surface, as the violent incident has already been documented.
The investigation remains ongoing.