Prime suspect in killing of Briton arrested

MANILA, Philippines - The prime suspect in the killing of a British national who arrived in the country to propose to his Filipina girlfriend, was arrested in Laguna on Tuesday afternoon.

Chief Superintendent Gil Meneses, Calabarzon police director, said the suspect, Anselmo Lacontales, 28, was tagged as the one who stabbed dead John Lorne McDonald, 28, out of jealousy.

Lacontales was arrested by joint operatives of the Regional Special Operations Group, Regional Intelligence Division, Regional Public Safety Battalion, and the Rizal and Angono town police in his rented apartment in Barangay 2B, San Pablo City.

He was arrested on the strength of an arrest warrant issued by Judge Ma. Conchita Lucero-de Mesa of the Binangonan Regional Trial Court Branch 70.

Meneses said McDonald fell for a Filipina who placed details about herself on an Internet dating site.

McDonald, a Scotsman, packed his bags and flew to Angono town in Rizal to propose to his chat-room lover, Nanqueen Romero, 31, whom he met for the first time in September last year.

Meneses said they have witnesses who pointed to Lacontales as the attacker of McDonald.

Police learned that Romero maintained a relationship with Lacontales and that she failed to tell McDonald about it.

Lacontales is now under the custody of the Angono police. He is scheduled to be turned over to the court, which will then issue his commitment order in a facility of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.