A 26-year-old man was decapitated while sleeping in a brutal attack by his drinking companion in Loon town on Wednesday night.

The suspect, Viviano Gapas, 36, has been arrested by police and was charged with murder on Friday morning, said Corporal Christopher Ramirez of the Loon Police Station.

According to Ramirez, Gapas and the victim Charles Tabaranza figured in a heated argument while drinking at a store in Barangay Cantudlan in the island of Cabilao.

The suspect left the area following the verbal tussle and returned wielding a butcher’s knife. He then allegedly hacked Tabaranza dead who fell asleep in the area where they drank.

“Nag-inom sila unya galalis. Paghuman ning uli ning suspect unya ni bahad daan na patyon. Unya kadtong biktima nakatog pud so mao to iyang gi balik,” he said.

Tabaranza sustained at least six hack wounds across his body including his neck.

“Daghan samad unya sa liog, ang panit nalay gahawid,” said Ramirez.

No one saw the hacking incident but witnesses said that Gapas was seen leaving the area before they discovered Tabaranza’s body.

They alerted the police who in turn launched a hot pursuit operation leading to the arrest of Gapas at his home in Barangay Cantudlan.

Ramirez said they found the murder weapon and the suspect’s clothes during the incident.

Swab samples have been taken from the objects and submitted for testing at a crime laboratory to determine if these contained the victim’s blood.

“Didto ang sinina na gisuot adtong adlawa na maoy giingon sa mga witness. Gilabhan sa suspect pero naa pa may bloodstain apil to iyang sundang gihugasan pero naa pay nahimilin na dugo,” he added. (A. Doydora)