Alleged robber tagged in guard's death

CEBU, Philippines- A security guard was lifeless and bathing in his blood when found by his reliever early morning Sunday inside a construction firm in Barangay Lower Tabok, Mandaue City.

The victim was identified as Melchor Pasinabo, of legal age, married and temporarily residing in Barangay Carreta, Cebu City and a security guard detailed at Vineyard Construction.

It was his reliever guard Noel Artezuela, 33, who called up the Basak Police Station to report the death of the victim.

Artezuela saw him lifeless with a big open wound on his forehead and a laceration on the neck. His 12-guage shotgun was also reported missing.

At the crime scene, responding policemen saw short pants with blood stains and another blooded steel tube believed to be used by the suspect in killing the victim.

Police Officer 1 Vimarl Ebardo said a hot pursuit operation was conducted against the suspect who was identified as Antonio Chiquito.

Chiquito was arrested in his home in Sitio Mahayahay, Barangay Apas, Cebu City.

Ebardo said Chiquito was arrested even if he denied he had a hand over the victim's death after another security guard Ulderico Calderon, who is detailed at Vineyard Construction told police during investigation that he saw the suspect in the premises of the compound prior to the victim's death.

Calderon said the suspect was a former errand boy of the said construction firm.

From afar, Calderon said he saw the suspect inside the premises of the compound last Saturday evening, but he just ignored his presence considering that he always visited the firm even if he was no longer working there.

Calderon said he didn't know a commotion already took place earlier after the victim allegedly caught the suspect in the act of stealing some of the construction materials inside the firm.

It was at this point that the suspect then took a steel tube and hit the victim's forehead which left the victim unconscious, Calderon said, adding that the suspect may have also slashed the victim's neck before hurriedly leaving the area.

"Hinuon wa man gyu'y nakakita sa panghitabo kay layo ra kaayo to ang guard nga nakakita niining suspek, apan wa man gyu'y laing nakasud diri sa compound kon dili siya and besides nakapatay na pud ning tawhana didto sa Siaton, Negros Oriental ug pinangita pud ni didto," Ebardo said.

The suspect is currently detained at the Basak Police Station pending the filing of a murder case against him.