Trader surrenders slay suspect’s pawned gadgets

ANGELES CITY -- Gadgets allegedly pawned by the lone suspect in the killing of an American national and four Filipinos at Hensonville Court subdivision here were turned over to the police Sunday.

The pawnshop owner, who refused to be named, surrendered a laptop, a digital camera, a cell phone, a video camera, among others to the Angeles City Police.

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These gadgets were allegedly pawned by Mark Zamora Dizon, 28, of Barangay Salapungan, this city.

Couples Albert and Jeanette Androneda Mitchell; housemaids Marissa Prado and Isabel Pajardo; and driver Boy Vergara, were shot to death inside an apartment along Manuela Street at Hensonville Court Subdivision in Barangay Malabanias at noon on July 22.

Dizon was identified as the alleged assailant after security guards of the subdivision saw the suspect’s photograph in the social networking site, Facebook, said Senior Superintendent Danilo Bautista.

Bautista said that the guards described the suspect to Mitchell's relatives, and found out that the suspect was a suitor of Mitchell's daughter, Sarina, who is now married and staying in the United States.

Robbery could be the possible motive of the suspect as Mitchell's laptop, jewelry, and cash were missing, Bautista said.

The return of the items has strengthened the theory of city police officials that Dizon was involved in serial killings and might have something to do with two other slaying incidents involving a Canadian national and a Briton, added Bautista.

Geoffrey Bennun, a Canadian, and his wife were found dead inside a villa at the Oasis Hotel compound in Barangay Malabanias, while British national James Bolton was also killed inside his residence in Santa Maria Subdivision in Barangay Balibago recently.

“We already invited the relatives of the Canadian and British (national) killed recently to identify the gadgets we recovered,” Bautista said.

Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan and city police investigation branch head Chief Inspector Marciano Banola presented on Sunday the gadgets to the media.

Pamintuan has ordered the city police to immediately charge and arrest the suspect.

The mayor also said foreigners and tourists should no longer worry about the city’s peace and order because the city police are working to protect the people.

A special investigation task group is now tracking down the suspect.

Chief Inspector Luisito Tan, Police Station 4 chief, said that Dizon is no longer staying at his residence in Barangay Salapungan when a team of police officers from his station and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, headed by Chief Inspector Glenn Silvio, went to the suspect’s residence on Thursday.

Pamintuan said Dizon was also involved in cases of robbery and carnapping in January 2005.

The Angeles City Regional Trial Court Branch 58 has issued an arrest warrant against Dizon in connection with these cases. (Reynaldo G. Navales of Sun.Star Pampanga/Sunnex)