The suspect in the murder of seven individuals, including two minors, inside a bakery in Barangay Cupang, Antipolo City on Tuesday, April 22, claimed that he killed the victims because they were allegedly plotting to kill him following a dispute regarding the bakery's ownership.

In an interview with the media after his arrest, alias "Bogart," who is also one of the bakery's owners, said he had an argument with one of the victims who was the master baker of the bakery and his business partner as the latter allegedly wanted to keep the business for himself.

"Pinagbantaan kasi nila ako na papatayin nila ako gamit yung unan para pagdating ng asawa ko bukas papalabasin nilang binangungot ako. Narinig ko nag usap sila, dalawa kasi kami magkasosyo sa bakery, tapos lahat ng trabahante namin halos lahat kamag anak niya, kumbaga pinagkaisahan nila ako. Kung mapatay ako, sa kanya na mapunta ang business namin, kaya inunahan ko na sila (They threatened to kill me using a pillow so that once my wife arrives tomorrow, she would think I died in my sleep. I heard them talking about how to kill me as the two of us are owners of the bakery. Almost all of our staff are his relatives. If I died, the business will go to him, so I killed them first)," Bogart said.

Police investigation revealed that Bogart first treated the victims to a drinking session since it was his birthday. He said he started to have a feeling about their plan to murder him once he got drunk.

This prompted him to stab them to death during their sleep using a kitchen knife and a fan knife.

The suspect said the victims tried to fight back during his attack but failed to do so as they were unarmed and it was dark during that time.

One against seven?

The police, however, were skeptical about Bogart's story, saying that the latter's motive was too shallow for him to slaughter the victims.

The suspect also remained unharmed despite saying that he was ganged up by the victims during his rampage.

“Hindi kami makukuntento dun na siya lang ang salarin. Possibly, may kasamahan din siya, titingnan natin yan. Hindi na tayo makuntento sa version mismo ng suspek kundi ano ba masasabi ng ebidensya na magagather natin (We are not satisfied with his claim that he’s the only suspect. It’s possible he had an accomplice. We will look into the evidence that we will gather)," Rizal Police Provincial Office (Rizal PPO) director Col. Felipe Maraggun said.

Police said the victims’ remains are undergoing autopsy while investigators are looking for CCTV footages that may help them in their investigation.