Police nab suspects in Masbate robbery-slay
By Mar S. Arguelles
Police operatives nabbed on Monday, Aug. 31, the two suspects involved in the robbery and stabbing incident that killed on the night of Aug. 28 five family members in a remote village in Baleno town in Masbate, a police report said.
Major Maria Luisa Calubaquib, Bicol police spokesperson, said that after a two-day pursuit operation, police operatives were able to track down and arrest suspects Deonilo Rabino, 39, and his brother Rowel, 25, in separate operations in Aroroy town on Monday at around 11:30 AM.
The report said Deonilo was collared by policemen in Sitio Gold-Bug, Barangay Syndicate, while his brother Rowel was nabbed in Barangay Capsay, both in Aroroy town.
The arrested suspects did not resist arrest and they were turned over by the Aroroy police to the Baleno police station for custody at the town jail.
Police investigators said the 16-year old male suspect who was earlier arrested on Sunday told probers the identities of his father and Rowel, his uncle, all residents of Barangay Tinapian, a remote village in Baleno town.
The police is in the process of filing with the Masbate Prosecutor’s Office charges for murder, homicide and frustrated robbery against the three suspects.
The case stemmed after five members of a family were stabbed to death by three thieves that barged into their house in Barangay Tinapian on Saturday night.
The victims were identified as Jesus Adigue, 70, his wife Adela, 67, their daughter Jennifer, 40, a widower, and her daughters Joyce, 17, and Kristelle, 14, all surnamed Albis.
While Angel, 13, the lone survivor also sustained stab wounds and was brought to a nearby hospital for treatment.
The police report said the incident took place at around 11:00 PM when the three suspected robbers, one of them a minor, gained entry while the victims were sleeping in their house.
While one of the suspects was trying to take away the cellphone of Joyce, her sister Kristelle suddenly woke up prompting the robbers armed with knives to stabbed to death the victims.
Investigation disclosed that the elder Adigue, his wife Adela, and daughter Jennifer, awakened by the commotion, went to the adjacent house where the three minors were sleeping and saw the incident. The suspects immediately attacked and killed them on the spot.
Annaliza Gutierrez, the victim’s neighbor, who discovered the crime scene at around 8:15 AM Sunday immediately reported the incident to the police.