SAN MATEO, ISABELA KARAOKE TRAGEDY: Man shoots drinking buddy for snatching karaoke song

Isabela, Philippines – A karaoke night in San Mateo, Isabela ended in tragedy on Sunday night, October 19, 2025, after a man was shot dead over accusations of singing songs supposedly reserved for the shooter.

According to San Mateo Police investigator PSSg. Clemente Caronan Jr., in an interview with XFM Santiago, the victim, Roberto Miguel, a 48-year-old construction worker, was drinking with his peers in Purok 2, San Marcos when the incident occurred.

Based on the police investigation, the suspect, a resident of Ramon, Isabela, arrived at the scene to join the drinking session and went to the victim’s table to sing at the videoke machine.

What began as a night of fun later turned violent when the suspect became angry and accused the 48-year-old victim—who was singing and passing the microphone to another companion—of stealing his songs. The suspect reportedly drew his gun and shot the victim, hitting him in the chest and back. Miguel was declared dead on arrival at the hospital.

Police authorities are conducting further investigations and are currently pursuing the suspect, who remains at large.

This is not the first time a karaoke-related killing has occurred in the Philippines. In 2012, a man in Las Piñas City stabbed his friend after the latter hogged the microphone and refused to let him sing.