Trusted houseboy nabbed for killing, robbing employer

Donato Dollente

In less than 48 hours, the Quezon City police arrested a houseboy accused of killing and robbing his employer on All Souls’ Day.

During questioning on Sunday, Donato Dollente, 51, confessed to killing Maria Joy Rima Maskariño, a 55-year-old accountant.

Her body was found in her apartment in Barangay Pasong Tamo on Nov. 3.

Dollente had been working as an all-around helper and utility man for the Maskariño family for over a decade, the victim’s elder brother, Edgar, told reporters on Monday. He would report for work whenever a family member called him.

Speaking to reporters, the suspect expressed regret for what he did, but claimed that he did not plan to rob and kill Maskariño. He confessed he had used illegal drugs before he did the crime.

CCTV footage as evidence

Investigation showed that the victim had asked Dollente to come to work on Nov. 2 to help her shop for groceries.

Footage taken by a closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera at a supermarket on Quezon Avenue showed the pair arriving around noon and leaving before 1 p.m.

After returning to the apartment, Maskariño reportedly decided to take a nap.

Around 2 p.m., Dollente reportedly attacked her, hitting her first on the chest with a dumbbell.

“When she screamed, the suspect started to hit her repeatedly on the head. He then sat on her stomach and continued [hitting her],” said Chief Insp. Elmer Monsalve, Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit chief.

Dollente then stole her belongings, including P7,000 in cash, a laptop, tablet, cell phone, wristwatch and several bank cards, before escaping.

Maskariño’s body was found on Saturday evening by Edgar and his wife who went to her apartment after she failed to answer their phone calls.

They found the master bedroom and the walk-in closet in disarray.

No inkling

Edgar said he had no idea that it was their trusted aide who killed his youngest sibling.

“He was supposed to come to our house after helping Joy with the groceries on Friday but he didn’t,” Edgar told reporters. “But he came in the next day, worked for me from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., not knowing what he did to my sister.”

The police recovered the stolen items from Dollente’s house in Culiat.