Jail, Whipping For Possessing Knife
By Malai Fadley Rizal

Bandar Seri Begawan - A 36-year-old Filipino was sentenced to a year in jail and three strokes of the cane yesterday after he pleaded guilty to possessing an offensive weapon in a public place.

Neptalie G. Morilla, who was working for Hiap Guan Cushion, stabbed a fellow worker who came to defend his friend as the defendant was trying to attack the man with a 12 1/2 inch knife, according to Prosecuting Officer Pg Nina Jasmine Pg Hj Bahrin.

Judge Dato Steven Chong heard from the prosecution that Neptalie had come home with his wife and child after visiting his friend alone prior to picking up his family on July 24, 2003.

Upon reaching his quarters at No. 4A in Jalan Ban 4, the defendant went to his friend, carpenter Darwin B Peyra, who was working on a piece of wood on the ground floor of Hiap Guan Cushion workshop and told him not to interfere with his affairs.

Neptalie then suddenly reached for a knife from the kitchen and chased Darwin intending to scare and stab him. Earlier, Neptalie's wife, Angelica, shouted for Darwin to run away and save himself from being stabbed by her husband who was running after him with a 12 1/2 inch knife.

Then, another fellow worker Dionisio came to defend Darwin and Neptalie stabbed him when they were on the road near the workshop.

A man, Rahiman, who witnessed the commotion and overheard Angelica shout earlier came up to the defendant about a minute later after Darwin and Dionisio had ran to save themselves.

Rahiman bravely took the knife, and a steel bar away from Neptalie and asked him to wait in his room at the quarters. Two police officers then arrived at the scene and arrested Neptalie.

The defendant's blood and urine samples were taken for testing by the Scientific Services Department (SSD).

The SSD found Neptalie's blood sample contained 151.04% mg of alcohol. The agency also confirmed that Neptalie was drunk at the time the blood sample was taken.

Meanwhile in the High Court, Neptalie was charged with another offence of having voluntarily caused grievous hurt to Dionisio Panglingayan @ Jhone, 32, with a deadly weapon. This charge is not compoundable.

The prosecution reduced the charge to an offence of voluntarily causing grievous hurt to Dionisio, a lesser charge which is compoundable.

The victim, Dionisio, agreed to forgive Neptalie with no conditions for stabbing him and the court compound led the charge. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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