Suspect in killing of lending collector in Argao arrested

CEBU, Philippines - In less than 24 hours, the suspect in the robbery and killing of a female money lending collector in Argao was arrested in a KTV bar in Barangay Perrelos, Carcar City Thursday evening.

Rhine Jimenez, 28, was apprehended by the police in a hot pursuit operation conducted around 10 p.m. Thursday.

Jimenez allegedly robbed and killed Maria Tita Piloton, 35, who was found dead with her neck slit in Barangay Langtad, Argao Thursday morning.

Argao Police Station chief, Senior Inspector Alejandro Batobalonos, said they found Jimenez drinking and singing karaoke with a girl inside a KTV bar.

The police were able to locate Jimenez due to the information they gathered from the brother of suspect’s live-in partner, who was reportedly seen together with the suspect in Argao.

Batobalonos said they instructed the brother of Jimenez’ live-in partner to call the suspect using his phone and ask where he was.

Jimenez only told Agimat that he was in Carcar but did not specify exactly where he was.  Batobalonos, who was listening to their conversation along with his team, noticed someone singing in the background during the phone call.

Along with Agimat and other policemen, Batobalonos then decided to roam around all the videoke bars in Carcar thinking that Jimenez was in one of the establishments.

He said that Jimenez who was already drunk when they arrived and even tried to resist arrest.

Batobalonos said that only around P5,000 was left from the P10,000 Jimenez allegedly took from Piloton.

Jimenez told the police that he spent the money on liquor and bought shabu worth P1,800. The police were able to recover suspected shabu from the Jimenez’ possession.

During the interrogation with the police, Jimenez admitted that he did not intend to kill Piloton but was only forced to do so when he got wounded with his scythe after the victim tried to fight back.

Jimenez said he saw Piloton pass by the area while he was on top of a tree to get some coconuts. He then went down to get the bag of Piloton.

“Ang ingon niya iya daw giingnan nga “Ate kuhaon naku nang bag nimo” niingon pod daw ang babaye, “Nabuang ka, naa man diri ang koleksiyon nako,” unya paglayog daw niya nasamad iyang kamot dapit sa pulso sa iyang sanggot mao to nga iya na daw gitook unya gi-gulgol,” Batobalonos disclosed.

Jimenez further admitted that he was under the influence of illegal drugs when he committed the crime. He also told the police where he left the blooded scythe and his white shirt five meters where the body of Piloton was found.

He also confessed that he was about to surrender after the incident but was tempted with the money he got from Piloton.

Jimenez is currently detained at Argao Police Station. He will face charges for robbery with homicide that will be filed on Monday. — Grace Melanie I. Lacamiento/ATO (FREEMAN)