6 ordered arrested for teen’s rape-slay

CABUYAO, Laguna — A municipal trial court judge here has issued warrants of arrest for six men in connection with the rape-slaying of a 14-year-old high school student nearly two weeks ago.

MTC Judge Alden Cervantez ordered the arrest of Erik Opeña, Crispin Alipon, Edgar Malabanan and three still unidentified residents of Barangay Looc in Calamba City.

Cervantez issued the arrest warrants based on the testimonies of witnesses to the rape-slaying of Margie Arambulo, who also resided in Barangay Looc.

Arambulo’s half-naked body stuffed in two plastic sacks sewn together was found along Marinig Road in Barangay Sala here at about 5 a.m. of June 1.

Her remains were identified by her mother, Myra, only three days later.

Myra said she last saw her daughter alive at about 11 p.m. of May 31 when Opeña, the teenager’s ninong (godfather), together with a male companion, fetched her reportedly to be employed as a store helper at the Calamba public market.

Medico-legal experts believe that Arambulo was strangulated and died between 1 and 2 a.m. of June 1.

Several hours after Arambulo was buried last Tuesday, members of the regional intelligence and investigation division of the Calabarzon police picked up Alipon and Malabanan for questioning and subsequently turned them over to Cabuyao police.

For lack of an arrest warrant, the Cabuyao police had to release Alipon, while Malabanan was placed under detention.

Malabanan issued an affidavit of confession and identified Alipon and four others as those behind the teener’s rape-slaying.

Malabanan confessed that he drove the tricycle that brought Opeña and Alipon, along with the victim, to a house he believed is owned by Opeña.

In his affidavit, he said he heard the victim saying, "Ninong, tama na po (Enough, ninong)," and later saw her being carried inside a sack.