Computer technician hunted for Angeles slays

ANGELES CITY , Philippines  – The police here is hunting for a 28-year-old computer technician whom they named as suspect in the murders here last Thursday of a retired American air force man, his wife and three of their househelps. He could have also been the murderer of two other foreigners and their Filipina partners in this city earlier this month.

City police chief Senior Superintendent Danny Bautista identified the suspect as Mark Dizon, 28, of Barangay Salapungan in this city.

He said the suspect could be the same killer of two other foreigners and what Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan referred to as “Filipino collaterals” and that the motive seemed to be access to the internet files of the expatriates.

Bautista said witnesses’ description fit Dizon who allegedly shot to death retired US air force MSgt. Albert Mitchell, 70, his wife Janet Andrenada, 53, their their househelps Isabel Fajardo, Marissa Prado, and Yulberto Catli at Manuela St. in Hensonville Court subdivision in Barangay Malabanias here past noon last Thursday.

He said the suspect apparently rushed to his home in Salapungan to gather his clothes before going into hiding. Dizon’s internet Facebook account had also been already blocked apparently by him. The suspect remained at large as of yesterday afternoon.

The police chief said Dizon could also have been involved in the fatal shooting on July 16 of British James Bolton Porter, 51, and his live-in partner, Melissa Madarang, 22, in their house at 4-11A Nicolas St. in Sta. Maria subdivision in Barangay Balibago here.

Suspect interested in laptops

Bautista said there are indications that Dizon could also have been the culprit in the fatal shooting of South African Geoffrey Allan Bennun, 60, and his live-in partner, Abegail Helina, 20, whose decomposing bodies were found inside their house at Oasis Hotel and Villas in Clarkville Compound in Barangay Anunas here on July 12.

“There seems to be a pattern in all these cases. A 9 mm pistol was used to shoot the victims and the bullets gathered in all cases indicate they came from one firearm,” Bautista said.

He also noted that in all the separate cases, the suspect seemed particularly interested on the laptops of the victims and left behind jewelry and other personal valuables.

“I think we could uncover other things in this peculiarity. It is possible that the suspect wanted some information on the computers that could enable him to transfer bank accounts or get access to the pensions of the foreigners,” Bautista said.   – With Ric Sapnu