Alleged lookout says killers of UPLB student Ray Bernard Peñaranda are frat men
LOS BAÑOS, Laguna—The suspected lookout in the killing of University of the Philippines Los Baños student Ray Bernard Peñaranda has been arrested and has tagged two other suspects, alleged members of a fraternity, in the killing who are still at large, authorities said Wednesday.
Joseph “Sebo” Beltran, 25, is in police custody and was presented to media. Beltran allegedly acted as a lookout while one of two other suspects killed the 19-year-old Peñaranda.
Police said Beltran identified the two other suspects as a certain Carl “Dactil” De Guzman, 27, and Tyrone Kennedy Terbio, 19, from Barangay San Antonio here. De Guzman allegedly drove the motorcycle that the suspects used to escape while Terbio was the one who repeatedly stabbed the victim in the chest.
Terbio and De Guzman are members of the Tau Gamma Phi fraternity, Beltran told police.
The suspected lookout also alleged that Terbio is nephew of the village chief of Barangay San Antonio. He said De Guzman is son of a village watchman of Barangay Batong Malake and had been arrested for drugs in the past. Terbio is also wanted for a previous robbery case.
Police said Beltran turned himself in last Tuesday and told them he “felt sorry for the victim.”
Police raided the house of De Guzman on Raymundo Street in Barangay Batong Malake here but he was not there.
They also raided the house of Terbio’s girlfriend, Aileen, in Barangay Bayog but he was not there, too.
Beltran told reporters he joined De Guzman and Terbio because he wanted to have money for his wife. He said he was jobless.
He said he and the two other suspects had drinks then hung out Sunday at Vega Center, a mini mall outside the gates of UPLB, at about 8 p.m. to prey on potential robbery victims.
“The first target was a female student. We were supposed to follow her to Sta. Fe Subdivision but we lost our chance when she turned to the other direction,” Beltran said.
He said they boarded a motorcycle and went around Umali Subdivision twice to look for other victims when, at about 1 a.m., they chanced upon Peñaranda and his friends on F.O. Santos Street.
“I got off the motorcycle when (Terbio) announced a holdup,” Beltran said. He said Peñaranda’s companions fled and sought help.
Beltran said Terbio, armed with a fan knife, stabbed Peñaranda when the student put up a fight.
He said Terbio and De Guzman immediately fled aboard the motorcycle while he fled on foot when people started noticing the commotion.
Beltran said Terbio and De Guzman were responsible for the series of thefts and robberies in students’ apartments in the Umali Subdivision. He said they took laptops, cell phones and pieces of jewelry.
Beltran told police he suspected that Terbio was also involved in the rape and murder of 14-year-old Rochel Geronda on Feb. 27. On the other hand, De Guzman is cousin of tricycle driver, Percival, who was arrested for the rape and murder of UPLB student Given Grace Cebanico in October.
