Person of interest in SEA Games medalist Guarte’s killing identified —police

A person of interest has been identified in the fatal stabbing of Southeast Asian Games (SEA) gold medalist Mervin Guarte in Oriental Mindoro, the Calapan City Police Station said on Wednesday.

“Based po sa ginawa naming follow-up investigation at pag-review ng CCTV doon sa area, may na-identify po kami na person of interest,” Calapan City Police chief Police Lieutenant Colonel Roden Fulache told GMA News Online.

(Based on our follow-up investigation and CCTV review in the area, we have identified a person of interest.)

Fulache said they are looking into personal grudge as a possible motive for the killing.

“Ang nakikita po namin baka may matagal nang kinikimkim na galit itong suspek. Siguro, tinimingan kaya nang makakita siya ng pagkakataon doon niya ginawa yung krimen,” he said.

(We see that the possible motive is that the suspect has been harboring anger for a long time. So when he had the opportunity, he committed the crime.)

Police are still locating the person of interest and gathering evidence for possible filing of a complaint in connection with Guarte’s killing.

Guarte was stabbed in his sleep around 4:30 a.m. on Tuesday.

The Oriental Mindoro Provincial Police Office reported that the 32-year-old athlete was then sleeping in the house of a barangay kagawad.

According to the police, Guarte was still able to call for help and was brought to the hospital but eventually passed.

Guarte won gold during the 32nd SEA Games in Cambodia in 2023, helping the four-man team capture the title in the men's team relay of the obstacle course racing.

He also copped a gold medal in the 2019 SEA Games after reigning supreme in the men's 5km of OCR.

Guarte won silver medals in the 800m and 1500m track events in the 2011 edition.

He was part of the national record holder of the 4x800m relay team, which tallied 7:42.20 during the Vietnam Open in July 2014.

Guarte was also a member of the Philippine Air Force and was assigned in Lipa, Batangas. —VBL, GMA Integrated News