Police arrested the male neighbor of a 20-year-old woman whose body was found stabbed to death in an apartment at Honeydew Street, Lakeview, Nagpayong, Barangay Pinagbuhatan in Pasig City.
Col. Celerino Sacro Jr., Pasig City police chief, identified the suspect as “Kim,” 33, a dishwasher at the Pasig Mega Market.
The victim’s body was found in her apartment (Room 7) at around 7:30 p.m. on June 8 by a tenant of the apartment.
The tenant claimed that he saw a “scattered blood stain at the terrace coming from rooms 6 and 7 on the third floor,” which prompted him to check the rooms.
Upon opening the door of the woman’s apartment, he saw the victim’s body covered with blood on the bed with her personal belongings on the floor.
He reported the incident to Pinagbuhatan Police Sub-Station (SS5) who immediately responded to the incident.
The victim was declared dead by the Pasig Emergency Unit who conducted an initial medical assessment.
The results of the cursory forensic examination stated that the “victim sustained stabbed wounds in her body, with one nine inch-long kitchen knife, including the handle, entrenched on her neck.”
While investigating the crime scene, the police also found blood stains from the next room (Room 6) owned by Kim and his brother “Jomar,” 22, who was also a dishwasher.
Police were continuously investigating the incident when Jomar, and some of his relatives, went to the SS5 office at 3:30 a.m. on June 9.
He claimed that Kim confessed to stabbing and killing the victim when he went to his work at the Pasig Mega Market at 2 p.m. on June 8.
Jomar said he saw blood on Kim’s right hand which was wrapped in a cloth, and that at around 5:20 p.m. he received chat messages from Kim saying he was at a hospital in Marikina City.
However, when conducting a follow-up operation, police found that the suspect did not appear at the hospital.
Further investigation revealed that the suspect was on his way to Leyte.
The suspect was eventually surrendered by his relatives at the Jaro Police Station in Jaro, Leyte.
Authorities said that the suspect and victim had a heated argument before the crime was committed. The cause of their argument was not disclosed.
The suspect is in the custody of the Pasig police and is facing murder charges.