Ex-barangay chairman arrested for Pasig motel murder

Elements of the Northern Police District (NPD) intelligence unit arrested the prime suspect in the grisly murder of a government employee inside a Pasig City motel in an operation in Caloocan City on Saturday.

NPD director Chief Superintendent Marcelino Franco Jr. identified the suspect as Arturo "Boy" Veloso y Muntua, 61, former barangay chairman of Barangay San Jose in Pasig City.

Veloso was arrested at his common-law wife’s residence at Phase 3-C, Barangay 18, Kaunlaran Village, Caloocan City by joint elements of the District Police Intelligence Unit (DPIU) led by Chief Inspector Sotero Ramos Jr. and the Pasig City police, led by Senior Inspector Jojie Tabios, at around 4:45 p.m.

The Pasig City police was hot on the trail of the suspect for the brutal slaying of Sarah Lestojas, 38, municipal employee of Taytay, Rizal, inside the Mariposa Lodge III motel in Pasig City on Nov. 17.

According to PO2 Higino Dancel, the victim, who succumbed to 14 stab wounds in different parts of the body, was a former live-in partner of the suspect.

Investigation showed that on Nov. 17, Lestojas checked-in alone at Room 45 of Mariposa Lodge at around 1:30 p.m. But 30 minutes later, a man, whom the motel workers identified as a certain Boy Veloso, also checked-in in the same room.

Two hours later, witnesses said, Veloso went out of the room, paid the bill and told the room boys that his woman companion was still asleep and instructed them to wake her up later.

But while paying the bill, an employee reportedly noticed fresh scratches in Veloso’s arms.

As Veloso left, the employees immediately went to check on Room 45 and found Lestojas already dead, lying in a pool of blood with multiple stab wounds.

On Friday night, the Lestojas’ murder case was featured in a television program.

Concerned residents of Barangay 18 in Caloocan City who saw the program notified the police that the suspect was seen at the residence of his common-law wife.

Coordination made with the office of Senior Superintendent Ernesto Catunggal, chief of the Pasig City police, resulted in the immediate arrest of Veloso.

Chief Superintendent Rolando Sacramento, director of the Eastern Police District (EPD) said a room boy at the Mariposa Lodge positively identified Veloso as the man who paid the cashier for the room occupied by Lestojas on Nov. 17.

Interviewed by The STAR, Veloso denied the accusations.

"I am here not to hide but to protect my family because I’m accused of killing someone which I did not. My accusers may get back at them," he said.

Asked about the scratches in his arms, Veloso said they were mosquito bites.

"I have allergy on bites of mosquitoes," Veloso explained as he pointed to more scratches on his knees.

Sacramento said Veloso will be charged with murder before the Pasig City prosecutor’s office today. — With Non Alquitran