Woman vendor's killer nabbed, charged

CEBU, Philippines - The suspect in the robbery and killing of a fruit vendor last Monday morning in Barangay Capitol Site was arrested and charged yesterday.

It was learned that the assailant, Danilo “Loloy” Abenoja, 50, a cigarette vendor and resident of Barangay San Vicente,Tabogon town, is the live-in partner of the victim’s daughter.

The victim, Urbana Monares, 63, was found dead along Osmeña Boulevard at around 5 a.m. last Monday with stab wounds in the different parts of her body.

Police believed she was robbed before she was killed because her earnings and the box of fruits she was selling were already missing.

But yesterday afternoon, the joint operatives of Fuente Police Station and the Tabogon Police Station arrested Abenoja in Tabogon where he lives.

Fuente Police chief, Chief Insp. Michael Anthony Bastes told The FREEMAN that they have recovered the shirt and short pants of Abenoja stained with blood that will serve as strong evidences against him.

When asked on what could be the possible reason why Abenoja had killed the victim, Bastes said that it could be personal grudge or because he was not allowed to borrow money from the victim.

But in an interview, Abenoja denied he was the one who killed Monares, adding that his live-in partner Jeny Inot, 33, the daughter of the victim, can testify that he is not involved in the crime.

But yesterday afternoon, the police have already filed a robbery with homicide case against Abenoja before the City Prosecutor’s Office for the crime he is being accused of.

Abenoja signed a waiver of detention and was given 10 days to file his counter-affidavit.

According to the complainant, Divina M. Incallado,31, daughter of the victim, her mother was an ambulant vendor in front of a bakeshop along the corners of Osmeña Boulevard and J. Llorente Street.

She claimed that when found, her mother was already dead with several stab wounds and her earnings, which was estimated at P3,000 was already gone.

Rotchie Pacaña, 21, a resident of Tabay Lawom, Tisa Cebu City, an ambulant newspaper and cigarette vendor, also said that at around 3 a.m., she saw the accused looking for a knife.

Since she knew where the knife was placed, Pacaña said she got it and gave it to him.

Loloy allegedly wrapped the knife with a plastic bag after he received it and was very uneasy walking to and fro.

Pacaña furthered sated that while she was still awake she noticed a commotion and heard the bottle use, being used as a mosquito coil stand fall down to the cement. As the commotions ended, she allegedly saw Loloy bloodied while holding a knife.

Pacaña stated that Loloy went towards her and warned not to talk to anybody and say in vernacular word “ayaw og saba bisan kinsa, basin musaba ka patyun pud tika, kahibalo ko nga anhi raka maninda sa Anita’s…ug ako raba ang mga rugby boys diri.”. — Mylen P. Manto and Marc Nuñez Torniado/WAB (THE FREEMAN)