ANOTHER suspect in the killing of American marine biologist Kent Carpenter has surrendered to the police.
Philippine National Police (PNP) acting chief of the Public Information Office (PIO) Colonel Allen Rae Co, in a press conference in Camp Crame on Friday, July 17, 2026, said the suspect surrendered to the Negros Island Region Police Regional Office early Friday morning, July 17, 2026.
“Siguro na-guilty po siya kasi di ba ang initial natin ay four lamang sila so siguro gusto niya rin maglabas ‘yung partipasyon niya sa krimen and this coincides naman, corroborates ‘yung kuwento po nung isang lookout, so ang ano natin dito hindi po malalaman nung live-in partner dahil nasa loob lang sila ng bahay. Hindi niya alam actually kung sino or meron bang lookout. So lumalabas dalawa po ang lookout as of now,” he said.
(Perhaps he felt guilty because, initially, we only had four individuals involved. So maybe he also wanted to reveal his participation in the crime. This also coincides with and corroborates the account of the other lookout. What we have here is that the live-in partner would not have known about it because they were only inside the house. She actually did not know who the individuals were or that there was a lookout. So, as of now, it appears that there were two lookouts involved.)
Co said another suspect remains at large.
“We are still looking for one. Again, humihingi kami ng tulong sa mga kababayan through you na kung meron pa pong impormasyon kay alias Eden ay ipagbigay alam niyo lang kaagad sa pinakamalapit na himpilan ng pulisya,” he added.
(We are still looking for one more individual. Again, we are asking for the public’s help through you that if anyone has information about alias Eden, please immediately report it to the nearest police station.)
Carpenter was killed inside his home in Sibulan, Negros Oriental on the evening of July 12 while he and his live-in partner were seated on a couch while watching the television.
The victim was shot in the head at point blank range while his 34-year-old Filipina partner tied up with a cellphone charger cord and was allegedly raped.
So far, four suspects, including the gunman, all residing at the same town as the victims, are under police custody.
Carpenter’s marine biology research played an important role in the Philippines' successful arbitration case against China over the West Philippine Sea.
He served as one of the country's scientific expert witnesses before the arbitral tribunal. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)