Rowegie Abanto

SEA Games gold medalist Mervin Guarte. Pilipinas Obstacle Sports Federation

Article (news)

Noel Alamar

Dennis Datu

ABS-CBN News

<div><strong></strong><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1736317120398173623131613720250107-mervin-guarte-POSF-2.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="SEA Games gold medalist Mervin Guarte. Pilipinas Obstacle Sports Federation"/><span class="fr-inner" spellcheck="false" style="text-align:left">SEA Games gold medalist Mervin Guarte. <em>Pilipinas Obstacle Sports Federation</em> </span></span></span></div><p>MANILA<strong> (UPDATED)</strong> — The police on Wednesday said they have identified a &quot;person of interest&quot; in the killing of SEA Games gold medalist Mervin Guarte.</p><p>A person of interest is someone who has been included in a police investigation but who has not been named a suspect, arrested or charged.</p><p>Guarte was stabbed to death in his sleep early Tuesday at his friend&#x27;s house in Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro, following a drinking session, according to police.</p><p>The person of interest, identified by a witness, is a tricycle driver known to Guarte, Police Lt. Col. Roden Fulache, Calapan City police chief, said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2025/1/7/ph-sports-community-mourns-loss-of-sea-games-gold-medalist-mervin-guarte-1556">PH sports community mourns loss of SEA Games gold medalist Mervin Guarte</a></div><p>Fulache said that the person of interest was not among those who were with Guarte during the drinking session.</p><p>Instead, he waited for the gathering to end, said Fulache.</p><p>CCTV footage showed the person of interest walking toward the house of Guarte&#x27;s friend, Barangay Kagawad Dante Abel.</p><p>Minutes later, he was seen hurriedly walking away from the crime scene.  </p><p>The police also said Guarte could have also seen the person of interest when he went to buy liquor at a store.  </p><div><strong>&#x27;PERSON OF INTEREST HARBORED ANGER VS GUARTE&#x27;</strong></div><p>&quot;Matagal na po atang galit doon sa victim. Hindi lang po namin ma-disclose pa &#x27;yung mismong ano niya, motive niya, pero mayroon siyang kinikimkim na galit doon sa victim itong tao na ito,&quot; Fulache said.</p><p>(It seems he had long been angry at the victim. We just can’t disclose the exact motive yet, but he had been holding a grudge against the victim.)  </p><p>Fulache added the person of interest and Guarte knew each other because the athlete grew up in the area and had stayed there since second year high school.</p><p>Authorities are now pursuing the person of interest and have checked relatives&#x27; homes for him.</p><p>Fulache assured Guarte&#x27;s family that investigators were fully committed to doing everything they could to make sure the perpetrator would be held accountable and brought to justice.</p><div><strong>MULTI-TIME MEDALIST</strong></div><p>Guarte was a member of the Philippine Air Force assigned to San Fernando Air Base in Lipa City, Batangas, and a resident of Barangay Malinao in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro.</p><p>Guarte won two silver medals at the 2011 Southeast Asian Games in the men&#x27;s 800-meter and 1500-meter events in track and field. </p><p>He eventually shifted to obstacle racing, where he won gold in the men&#x27;s 5km event at the 2019 SEA Games. </p><p>He was also part of the team that secured a gold medal in the men&#x27;s team relay at the 2023 SEA Games.</p><p>Fulache assured Guarte&#x27;s family that investigators were fully committed to doing everything they could to make sure the perpetrator would be held accountable and brought to justice.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/1/7/sea-games-gold-medalist-patay-matapos-saksakin-habang-natutulog-pulisya-1337">SEA Games gold medalist patay matapos saksakin habang natutulog: pulisya</a></div><p>The remains of the slain athlete lie at his residence in Sitio Camia, Barangay Malinao, Naujan, Oriental Mindoro. </p><p>His family has declined interview requests as they await developments from police investigators.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/celebrities/2025/1/8/ej-obiena-saddened-over-death-of-fellow-filipino-athlete-1019">EJ Obiena saddened over death of fellow Filipino athlete</a></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5oXxHiqCo4w?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></div>

<p>The police on Wednesday said it had identified a "person of interest" in the killing of SEA Games gold medalist Mervin Guarte.</p>

The police on Wednesday said it had identified a "person of interest" in the killing of SEA Games gold medalist Mervin Guarte.

'Person of interest' in Mervin Guarte slay harbored anger, police say

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'Person of interest' in Mervin Guarte slay harbored anger, police say

Noel Alamar,

Dennis Datu,

ABS-CBN News

Published January 08, 2025 02:32 PM PHT

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Updated January 08, 2025 03:32 PM PHT

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Calapan City

Oriental Mindoro

SEA Games champion

Marvin Guarte

Calapan City Police

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