Suspect in killing of 3 children surrenders

MANILA, Philippines - Realizing that he has nowhere to go after four days in hiding, the principal suspect in the killing of three children, aged nine to 12, surrendered Monday to the Calabarzon police.

Chief Superintendent Rolando Añonuevo, Calabarzon police director said the suspect, Ricardo Salazar, readily admitted the killing of Cristina Rafael, 14; and her brothers, Jason, 12, and Jerome, nine.

Salazar went into hiding after the slayings.

“He moved from one place to another to avoid detection. However, the relentless hot pursuit operations launched by the Calabarzon police to arrest him prompted him to surrender,” said Añonuevo.

Through the intercession of his relative Apollo Ilagan, Salazar gave himself up to Senior Inspector Luis Perez, police chief of Pagsanjan town at about 7 p.m. Monday.

Reports reaching Añonuevo showed that the parents of the children left their house to engage in a drinking spree and videoke with their neighbors at about 7:30 p.m. Thursday.

They arrived home at 11 p.m. and found the bodies of their children, who all bore hack wounds.

Their youngest child, John­mil, six, was not hurt by the suspect and was sound asleep.

Elements of the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) lifted evidence in the crime scene including a pair of slippers which the witnesses identified as owned by the suspect.

Police said they have a witness in custody who claimed that Salazar tried to rape the eldest victim, a first year high school student, who fought back.

Añonuevo said Salazar is cooperating fully in their investigation of the incident.

The Calabarzon police chief ordered the filing of multiple murder charges against Salazar, who is now detained at the Calabarzon police headquarters in Calamba City.