Raps filed vs suspect in architect’s slay

Murder charges were filed against a 43-year-old man yesterday, one of six suspects tagged in the killing of an architect in Parañaque City last Friday.

Senior Police Officer 2 Johnny Paragas, case officer, lodged the complaint against Renato Rabara, a resident of Laurel street, Tondo, Manila City. He and five others are accused of killing 39-year-old architect Fernando Castro, a resident of Block 5, Magsaysay Village, Tondo.

The other suspects were identified as Remy Branzuela and his brother Julito, both of Block 5 Aguinaldo street; Javier Bustamante, of 267 Lallana Extension; Dominador Inamac, of Tondo, Manila and Dodie Durian, of Citrus street, Block 3, Sapang Palay, San Jose del Monte, Bulacan. They remain at large.

"It appeared that the suspects had a grudge against Castro because he was a very strict boss and often complained about their tardiness in reporting to work," Paragas said.

Initial investigation showed that at around 9:45 a.m. of Jan. 30, the six suspects arrived on board an owner type jeep, driven by Rabara, at the work site along San Sebastian street, Barangay San Isidro, Parañaque City. They were undertaking the renovation of a house in the area.

Ronnie Oineda, 21, another construction worker, told Paragas that he saw the Branzuela brothers alight from the vehicle and approached Castro from behind.

From behind, Remy hit the victim on the head with a slipper, while Julito pulled out a bladed weapon and stabbed Castro before passing the knife to his brother, who also used the weapon on the victim.

Oineda said he then heard Rabara say, "Tayo na, patay na ‘yan" and saw the suspects board their vehicle.

Workers brought the victim to the Parañaque Medical Center, where the architect died last Sunday.

The victim’s wife, Alicia, 32, sought the help of a distant relative, Senior Police Officer 2 Renato Castillo of the Western Police District-Special Operations Group (WPD-SOG).

He apprehended Rabara at his house, but failed to nab the five other suspects.

"It was the victim who had hired the suspects, providing them work," Paragas said.

He added that the victim’s brother, Pedro, overheard the suspects threatening the architect for allegedly reporting their poor performance to company officials.