Cases filed vs. Bantayan robbery suspects

CEBU, Philippines -  A case for robbery with homicide was filed yesterday against the two men accused of stabbing to death an elderly woman and her granddaughter in Sitio Bagong Lipunan, Barangay Kabangbang, Bantayan Island Sunday evening.

The case against charcoal makers, Ruben Tabion, 20, of the said place, and Romel de la Peña, 21, of Sitio Vito, Barangay Kangka-ibe, was filed for inquest proceedings before state prosecutor Jerome Abarca of the Cebu Provincial Prosecutor’s Office.  The suspects will be committed today at the Regional Trial Court in Bogo City with no bail recommended.

Police also submitted bloodstain samples to the Philippine Crime Laboratory-7 in Camp Sotero Cabahug, Cebu City.

“Didto na sa crime scene especially exit area to support the case,” Sr. Insp. Ildefonso Miranda, Bantayan police chief, said in a phone interview.

Aside from stabbing the victims, Tabion and de la Peña were also accused of robbing P4,000 cash from Patricia Desamparado Batoy, 74, whom they killed along with Angelica Pasilaban, 9.

The victims were found dead 5:30 a.m. Monday by their neighbors who checked the house upon seeing bloodstains at the doorstep.

Batoy had 14 stab wounds while Pasilaban had six based on the autopsy conducted by Dr. James Nicholas Najarro of the Bantayan District Hospital.

Police primarily arrested de la Peña at the Bantayan wharf in Barangay Suba waiting for the departure of M/V Christina bound for Estancia, Negros Occidental, together with Tabion’s live-in partner, Linda Tayta-yan, who is four months pregnant.

Tabion was arrested by the police in Sitio Tangke, Barangay Ticad, past noon as he was having a wound treated. He was said to have been injured in a struggle with Batoy before he killed her.

Stolen items were recovered by the police, as well as an eight-inch knife. Miranda added that the suspects regretted what they did and claimed they were under the influence of liquor when they did the crime.  (FREEMAN)