Taxi driver tagged in murder of 2 women falls

Handcuffs over fingerprinting forms.

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MANILA, Philippines — The taxi driver behind the kidnapping and murder of two women whose bodies were found in Rizal and Pampanga provinces was arrested by the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) on Feb. 10.

The QCPD identified the suspect as Mark Anthony Valera Cosio, 41, who was initially arrested for illegal possession of explosives.

He allegedly killed his passengers Edilbertha Gomez and Maria Cristina Capistrano.

Gomez, 79, went missing after boarding the suspect’s taxi to fetch a relative. Gomez’s brother-in-law Paquito Gonzalez reported to Kamuning Police Station that she was missing.

With the aid of CCTV footage, police were able to identify the taxi’s plate number and track down Cosio’s whereabouts. After his arrest, Cosio admitted that his cohorts Rolando Picaña, Keith Richard, and Jimbo Robosa helped him dump Gomez’s body in Marilaque, Tanay, Rizal.

The suspect also admitted that they killed Capistrano whose remains were found in Barangay Laug in Mexico, Pampanga.

—ABBY BOISER

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