2 held for slay of 2 children in Bulacan, says PNP chief

CITY OF SAN JOSE DEL MONTE, Bulacan — The suspects in the killing of two children here were arrested and presented to media on Sunday, May 16.

Philippine National Police chief Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar announced the arrest of Romeo Ruzon, 41, a broom maker, and his 17-year-old stepson during a press briefing here.

Eleazar said the two were the primary suspects in the rape-slay of an 11-year-old girl and murder of an 8-year-old boy in Barangay Graceville on May 11.

Investigators initially recovered from the crime scene a tire interior reportedly being used by Ruzon in making brooms.

Also recovered from the scene were a mud brick and a stick used to hit the victims.

Police said the victims and the suspects were neighbors.

Brig. Gen. Valeriano de Leon, police regional director in Central Luzon, said investigators found a similar tire interior in the house of Ruzon.

When arrested, Ruzon pointed to his step son as his cohort.

Eleazar said Ruzon got irked by the victims who were constantly roaming around to play in the compound where they were killed.

Eleazar said the girl was raped and was hit by a hard object in the head. Her playmate was also hit by the mud brick and beaten to death.

Eleazar said both suspects raped the girl.

The suspects will be charged with murder, homicide, and rape, Eleazar said.