A man identified as Robert Garan, 39, reportedly went on a stabbing rampage which left four people dead and injured five more at Central Park Condominium in Pasay City on August 29, Tuesday.
Reports say he was "blinded by rage" after having a heated argument with his girlfriend, Emelyn Sagun, 30, in their unit on the 14th floor.
"Suspect nagkaroon ng heated argument with his girlfriend. Isa daw po itong massage attendant ata, at nagstart sa 16th floor. At lahat ng dinaanan pagkatapos mag-away nilang mag-girlfriend ay pinagsasaksak niya,"National Capital Region Police Office Chief Dir. Oscar Albayalde told ABS-CBN news. "Napatay po niya tapos tinulak niya sa may 16th floor kaya nakuha ‘yung babae sa ground floor."
According to reports, both Garan and his girlfriend had spouses and kids.
After pushing Sagun out the window, he grabbed a 14-inch kitchen knife and went amok, stabbing people he met in the hallway, even entering units from the 14th to the 22nd floor.
One of the victims was veteran journalist and professor Joel Palacios, who was going out for a jog when the suspect killed him on the 16th floor. He was 70 years old.
The suspect went on to massacre more victims, including a 12-year-old child named Daisery Castillo on the 17th floor as well as 36-year-old Ligaya Dimapilis and Leticia Ecsiagan who both lived on the 20th floor.
After a pursuit that lasted about five hours within the 25-storey building, the suspect was killed by authorities at 10:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
You can watch the full report below.
Our hearts go out to the victims family and friends. May you find strength during this difficult time.
Condominiums are becoming a more popular first home of choice for couples just starting their families, so it's important for safety measures to be in place. This senseless tragedy can be prevented from happening again. If you live in a condominium, reach out to the building administration to find out how they would deal with a possible emergency like this.
As someone who lives in a condominium, here are some measures I have suggested to our administration.
1. All condominium hallways should have CCTV cameras
It took police five hours to "neutralize" the knife-wielding suspect in the above story, so it's best to always be prepared. It's safe to assume the stabbing happened in the afternoon. This means tragedy can strike at anytime. It's not enough to have CCTV cameras recording what happens in the elevators, lobby, and main areas. Every corner of the condominium must be monitored at all times.
2. Unit owners and tenants must lock doors at all times
Some condo-dwellers tend to leave doors open during the day, thinking that it's pretty safe since the guards downstairs don't allow just anyone to come up. But what if, just like the Pasay condo incident, the threat is one of your neighbors? You can never be too careful especially if you have kids living with you.
3. More alarms or intercoms must be in place in common areas
In order for people to call for help easily, communication must be made accessible. People don't always have access to a landline to call for help from the lobby guard, so making sure to add more of intercoms or alarms will greatly help.
4. Roving guards must remain vigilant throughout the day
It would also help if guards "roved" hallways during the day, not just at night. Since they have their cellphones with them, it would help to distribute their numbers and schedules to residents, so they can be contacted quickly in the event of an emergency.
5. Residents must be alert and report suspicious behavior
If you hear neighbors arguing or fighting, call the lobby guard immediately. This is very important not just for your own safety, but for your neighbors as well. Above all, quick thinking is key.
sources: ABS-CBN News, Inquirer.net, Rappler
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