Killers of actress’ mother ‘amateurs’ – probers

MANILA, Philippines - The killers of actress Cherry Pie Picache’s mother in Quezon City last week appeared to be “amateurs” as they left behind traces of the crime, police said yesterday. 

Police said one of the killers of Zenaida Sison, 75, left his clothes – a pair of shorts and a shirt – at the crime scene.

Sison’s body was riddled with stab wounds when she was found in her home following what was believed to be a robbery amid a heavy downpour caused by Tropical Storm Mario on Friday. 

The victim was not answering Picache’s calls, prompting the actress to go to her house.

Investigators said footprints were also seen on the floor of the victim’s house in Barangay Paligsahan.

“Others would have worn slippers, shoes or other footwear but because he went barefoot, we could lift his foot prints from the crime scene,” a police official, who requested anonymity, said in an interview. 

The suspects also left behind a crow bar, a chunk of wood and the bloodstained knife they used in the crime, police said.

Police said it is possible that Sison knew her attackers.

Policemen are hot on the trail of one of the suspects tagged in the robbery-homicide case, although officials refused to divulge his identity at the moment. 

Senior Inspector Maricar Taqueban, spokesperson for the Quezon City Police District, said the woman sustained stab wounds in different parts of her body, an incise wound on her neck and head injuries.

Sison’s mouth was also stuffed with a piece of cloth.

Taqueban said witnesses have pointed to the suspect as the one who supposedly owned the clothes recovered by the police.

Earlier, Malacañang assured the actress that policemen are doing everything to put the suspects in jail.