Suspect in killing of architect falls

Authorities yesterday arrested one of the two suspects in the killing of an architect during a robbery in barangay Inayawan last year.

The suspect, 20-year-old Alberto Baloyos, an alleged member of a notorious gang involved in petty crimes in the barangay, was tagged as the prime suspect in the robbery and killing of architect Jun Elmer Satera, who was with his girlfriend Lady Caballero, last June 15 at Greenfields Subdivision in Inayawan.

After the arrest, Chief Insp. Aureo Sanchez, Pardo Police Station chief, presented Baloyos to city police director Sr. Supt. Patrocinio Comendador.

Sanchez said the arrest of Baloyot started when the police received a call from a barangay resident about a person loitering in the area while holding a hand grenade.

The police responded right away and, upon verification, learned that the threatening man in the area was actually Baloyos, a suspect in the Satera robbery-killing and other petty crimes.

When the police went to Baloyos’s house, he reportedly hid himself inside his mother’s room, prompting them to force their way in to effect the arrest. They did not found the reported grenage but a .38 caliber “paltik” snubnose revolver with live bullets.

Comendador said the police will verify first if the warrant of arrest for robbery with homicide was already released against Baloyos. For now, though, Baloyos will be charged with illegal possession of firearms, the police official said. 

Baloyos was jailed once for shooting and wounding SPO1 Alex Racaza on January 5, 2005. He was still a minor at the time, and was ordered released based on the law on juvenile justice.

On the Satera rob-slay case, police records showed that Baloyos and a companion, Dave Gabaca, were on a motorcycle that passed by Satera and Caballero who were waiting for a ride at the time. Baloyos and Gabaca quickly made a u-turn to approach Satera and his girlfriend.

The suspects reportedly grabbed Caballero’s bag but Satera defended his girlfriend. This angered the suspects, one of whom shot Satera in the face and killed him on the spot. They then chased Caballero to take her bag, which contained P200 cash, an umbrella, ATM and ID cards.

Baloyos has far denied the accusation and claimed that he was not in Cebu when the crime took place. He also denied possessing the gun that the police seized from his house and presented as evidence yesterday. — Edwin Ian Melecio/RAE