Suspect in murder of Reggae artist’s wife arrested

MANILA, Philippines - Members of the Makati Police arrested on Thursday afternoon in San Miguel, Bulacan a suspect in the robbery and murder last February in Makati of Amparo Concepcion “Teng” Santaromana-Gamboa, widow of the late Tropical Depression frontman Dominic “Papadom” Gamboa.

Suspect Nitro Ison alias Ricky Ramos, was presented to reporters in Camp Crame Friday by the Makati Police and by National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director Joel Pagdilao.

According to the Makati Police, Ison was arrested after he was served two arrest warrants in connection with separate robbery and holdup cases in Makati City.

Meanwhile, Pagdilao said Ison could also be facing other criminal cases in connection with at least seven cases of car thefts, seven cases of robberies using stolen taxicabs, three homicide cases and at least three rape cases in Quezon City, Mandaluyong and other areas in southern Metro Manila.

Pagdilao said Ison would first commandeer a taxicab, pretend to be a cabbie and then rob and sometimes kill his passenger-victims, such when he allegedly picked up Gamboa.

There are also times when he would rape his female victims, said Pagdilao.

During the press conference at Camp Crame Friday, a woman who claimed to have been raped by Ison, appeared and positively identified him as her alleged rapist.

Last February 10, Gamboa’s dead body was found along Kalayaan Avenue in Makati. Her body bore a gunshot wound to the head.

Police said that prior to her death, Gamboa was able to send a text message to her son informing him that she was on her way home aboard a taxicab.