BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – The city government has offered a P100,000 reward for the arrest of a suspect in the killing of three children and two adults at an apartment here on Sunday.
This developed as the city police formed a special investigation task group to hunt Philip Avino, alias Michael Geronimo, said Senior Superintendent Rolando Miranda, city police chief.
Citing witnesses’ accounts, Miranda said Avino could have entered the apartment on 3rd Kayang street leased by Vilma Nociete between 3:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Avino reportedly stabbed Jackelyn Jale Nociete, 19; Joey Nociete, nine; Dave John de Guzman, seven; Raymund del Mundo, eight, and househelp Jonalyn Lozano several times. The victims died from 18, 14, eight, five and 12 stab wounds, respectively.
Police initially theorized the victims knew the suspect as no forced entry was seen at the crime scene.
“We found out the suspect broke up recently with his partner, Samantha, the waitress-cook of the Nocietes,†Miranda said.
Samantha reportedly told investigators the bloodied pair of short pants found at the crime scene belonged to her former partner.