TAGUM CITY — What started as a simple night of drinks and karaoke ended in chaos for a young harvester now fighting for his life.

Christian, 25, had only wanted to unwind with a friend, Jecmar, inside the Expensive Candy Bar at Purok Bayanihan. But in a place where emotions run high and the mic is king, even a karaoke queue can spark trouble.

A waitress told police the tension began when Christian allegedly jumped ahead of someone else’s chosen song. The suspect didn’t take it lightly. Voices rose. Chairs shifted. And before anyone could calm things down, the man stormed out — only to come back, pull out a handgun, and shoot Christian point-blank in the cheek.

The suspect fled into the dark.

Investigators later found a single .45-caliber shell casing on the floor — one small clue in a case that now has Tagum police working to track him down.

Lt. Col. Frederick E. Deles says the shooting appears to have sprung from a sudden burst of anger, the kind that turns a petty argument into a life-or-death moment.

Christian remains in critical condition.

Pregnant girl stabbed

In Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao del Norte, a 17-year-old pregnant girl, known only as “An,” was found bleeding heavily from multiple stab wounds on Saturday afternoon, a victim of domestic violence.

Lead investigator PEMS Elsie Maraingan said the tip came from a concerned resident who sensed something was terribly wrong around 4:06 p.m.

Neighbors tried to help as the teen was rushed first to the Cotabato Sanitarium and General Hospital, then transferred to the Cotabato Regional and Medical Center. Doctors worked urgently, but the injuries were too severe. She was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

Police quickly launched a hot pursuit operation that led to the arrest of Akmad Abag, 21, her husband and a farmer from the same barangay. Officers made sure to inform him of his rights in a language he understood before bringing him to the station for documentation.

Investigators are now preparing criminal charges, and Maraingan said a full written report will be submitted for the formal filing of the case.