The Philippine Air Force (PAF) on Wednesday, Jan. 8, mourned the passing of national team athlete and Airman First Class (A1C) Mervin Guarte.
The 33-year-old sprinter and obstacle course racer (OCR) died after being stabbed by an unknown assailant in Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro around 4:30 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 7, while he was sleeping inside the house of a friend whom he had a drinking spree with for his post-yuletide break.
“The Philippine Air Force condoles with A1C Guarte's family and assures full support and assistance as they cope with this untimely loss,” PAF spokesperson Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo said Wednesday, Jan. 8.
Guarte, a resident of Bongabong , Oriental Mindoro, joined the PAF through direct enlistment in 2015. Prior to his death, he was assigned at the Air Education Training and Doctrine Command (AETDC) in Fernando Air Base, Lipa City, Batangas.
The PAF said that Guarte’s “discipline, dedication, and commitment to excellence” made him an “exemplary serviceman and an accomplished athlete, bringing honor and pride to the country and the PAF in numerous international and national competitions.”
Among Guarte’s accomplishments as a soldier-athlete include the following:
-Champion, Spartan Race Beast 21KM – Spartan Asia Pacific Championship (2024);
- Southeast Asian (SEA) Games Champion – holder of a new SEA Games record and current world record (2023);
- Gold Medalist, SEA Games 2019 - Obstacle Course Relay;
- Champion, Spartan Trail Championship – 12KM;
- Champion, Spartan Race 2022 – 10KM with 30 obstacles;
- Champion, Obstacle Course Relay World Championship – 12KM;
- Gold Medalist, 2018 Taiwan Open – 1500M; and
- Champion, Spartan Race Series – 5KM with 20 obstacles
Castillo said the PAF will cooperate with the Calapan City Police to assist in the ongoing investigation.
Oriental Mindoro governor Humerlito "Bonz" Dolor said a tricycle driver has been identified as a person of interest in the killing of Guarte, and is now being hunted by the local police.
The person of interest was caught in a closed circuit television (CCTV) footage walking into an alley leading to the house where Guarte was sleeping shortly before the crime occurred, and his departure from the same alley after the incident.