Thursday, December 14, 2006 Bogo slay suspect surrenders
THE suspected gunman in the killing of a couple in the northern town of Bogo, Cebu gave himself up to the police to deny the allegation.
Juan Alburo, also known as John or Johnny and a relative and neighbor of victim Flordeliza “Berut” Mandaue, surrendered to police last Tuesday night and implicated three people who allegedly carried it out.
However, Alburo, who is alleged to be an ex-convict and a gun-for-hire based in Manila, admitted that he knew about the incident because the three reportedly planned it in his house.
Mandaue, 64, suffered two gunshot wounds in the face and lacerations in her head while her right ring finger was cut off.
Torture
Police believe the lacerations on her head were signs of torture.
Her live-in partner, Tomas Aballe Oliamot, had two gunshot wounds in his forehead.
Both were found dead by their housemaid, who reported for work at 6 a.m. Sunday, in Barangay Nailon, Bogo.
Tomas’ son is Bogo’s first councilor Santiago Oliamot while Mandaue’s daughter is married to Councilor Domy Armenton. Bogo Police Station deputy chief SPO4 Pio Yorango is also Tomas’ son-in-law.
Both were known in the town as landowners while Oliamot also reportedly owned a fishing boat.
Escape
After the killing, Alburo’s name came out as the main suspect but police failed to arrest him when they went to his house to serve a search warrant for guns. Alburo managed to escape on his motorcycle when police arrived.
Police, however, recovered two Ingram submachine guns, two .45 pistols and a bag full of land titles in Alburo’s house. The guns were all loaded with ammunition and each had an attached silencer.
One of the Ingram submachine guns reportedly smelled of gunpowder.
Police have sent this to the Regional Crime Laboratory for a ballistics exam to find out if this was the gun used in the killing. Last Tuesday night, Alburo’s niece reportedly informed Bogo Police Station Chief Arturo Pacifico that his uncle wanted to surrender.
Odlot Barangay Captain Joel Rivera, whom Alburo earlier approached about his plan to surrender, was the one who escorted the suspect to the police station.
During an interrogation by Pacifico, Alburo denied carrying out the crime and named three people who were allegedly behind the killing.
Pacifico begged off from revealing their names yet as police are still verifying the allegation.
Pacifico believes they have a strong case against Alburo, who has been charged with robbery with double homicide because of the evidence found in the suspect’s house.
Alburo, along with two other unidentified suspects, allegedly killed the live-in partners after the victims did not return Alburo’s land title that he had pawned. (JST/With DRT of Superbalita)
