86-year-old lola, maid slain in house rob

ILOILO CITY — High school student Ronnie Allan Razon would never have thought his best friend from childhood would, with an unidentified cohort, rob his home and kill his grandmother and their housemaid.

Police identified the fatalities as Ronnie’s grandmother, Angelica Cabata, 86, and housemaid Famelia Laveda, 27. Cabata was found dead on her bed, with eight stab wounds in the chest. Laveda died of a single gunshot wound in the back of her head.

Two suspects, Jesus Rojas III and his still unidentified cohort, broke into the house of Rosanie Cabata and stole an undetermined amount of cash and two cellular phones — a Nokia 6210 and a Nokia 3310. Police said the incident happened at about 2:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Razon told The STAR he was surprised to find the main gate locked when he got home from school at 3:50 p.m. and entered the premises by climbing over the fence.

He entered the house through the back door and was surprised to see Rojas, who cocked a gun at him. "(Rojas) opened the door with a gun pointing at me. I also saw our helper lying on the floor, in blood. He said he was sorry and told me he had panicked while (Laveda) was screaming," Razon said.

Rojas told Razon he would have shot and killed Razon were it not for their friendship.

Razon said Rojas promised not to kill him if he let them go and did not tell the police their identities. Razon told the suspects to exit the house wearing caps so they could not be identified by neighbors and bystanders.

The suspects fled aboard Rojas’ car with license plate FBP 199, and Razon sought assistance from Bethany Life School director Hermy Cosa. Police records show it was Cosa who informed police about the incident.

Razon and Rojas have been best friends since Grade 2. Razon was known to sleep over at Rojas’ house.

According to the Jaro police, Rojas is of legal age and is from a prominent family. He was enrolled in the university but quit due to drug problems.

Senior Inspector Robert Foerster, Jaro police precinct commander, said the suspects face charges of robbery with homicide.

Foerster refused to divulge details of the investigation as the suspects are still on the loose.