Lookout in UPLB student's slay falls; 2 other suspects hunted

MANILA, Philippines - Police have identified the two principal suspects in last Sunday’s killing of a third-year BS Agriculture student of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) in Laguna following the arrest the other day of a man who served as their lookout.

Senior Superintendent Gilbert Cruz, Laguna police director, said suspect Joseph Beltran, alias Zeppo, admitted having acted as the lookout in the robbery-slay of 19-year-old Ray Bernard Peñaranda. Beltran asked forgiveness from the student’s parents.

Cruz said Beltran was nabbed in a follow-up operation in Barangay Bayog, Los Baños. He did not resist arrest and revealed what he knew about the crime.

Beltran tagged Carl Dactil de Guzman, 26, as the driver of the motorcycle, and Tyrone Kennedy Terbio, 19, as the one who allegedly stabbed Peñaranda.

Police have launched a massive manhunt for De Guzman and Terbio, who have pending cases of illegal drugs and robbery, respectively.

Cruz said Beltran has been cooperating with the Laguna police to solve the case.

Reports said the relatives of De Guzman and Terbio were negotiating with the authorities for their surrender.

All three suspects were charged with murder before the Los Baños regional trial court yesterday.

Chief Inspector Conrado Masongsong, officer-in-charge of the Los Baños police, said Peñaranda and fellow UPLB students Rey Wilson Visconde and Myren Kaye Jamo were on their way home when the suspects blocked their path in Barangay Batong Malake at around 1:30 a.m. Sunday and announced a holdup.

The three students ran for their safety but the suspects caught up with Peñaranda and stabbed him in the chest.

The victim was rushed to the Los Baños Doctors Hospital where he was declared dead on arrival.

Cruz said they secured a video footage from a residential spy camera, which caught the robbery incident and led them to Beltran.

He immediately created Task Force Ray and a reward of P300,000 was raised for information that would lead to the arrest of the suspects.

Police also linked Terbio to the recent rape-slay of a 14-year-old sampaguita vendor whose body was found near his house.

Cruz said the three suspects have been involved in robbery, illegal drugs and other criminal activities in Los Baños. – With Jaime Laude, Ed Amoroso