Suspect in New Zealand tourist slay surrenders

MANILA, Philippines — One of the suspects in the killing of a tourist from New Zealand has surrendered to authorities, the police said.

The Southern Police District (SPD), in a report, said the alleged gunman, John Mar Manalo, turned himself in to police on Friday at around 1:11 a.m. in Pasig City.

Manalo is the suspect behind the holdup and killing of Nicholas Peter Stacey, 34, in Makati City last Sunday.

READ: Tourist from New Zealand held up, shot dead in Makati

According to the SPD, Manalo was collared by virtue of his standing warrant of arrest for “robbery with violence against or intimidation” issued to him and two others by Judge Elenita Macatangay-Alviar of Branch 12 of the Regional Trial Court of Malolos City, Bulacan, on Sept. 5, 2022.

In an interview over ABS-CBN News, SPD chief Brig. Gen. Kirby John Kraft said Manalo had since denied playing a hand in the brazen killing of Stacey.

“Natatakot daw siya. Isa sa dahilan niya, hindi raw siya involved doon sa krimen na iyon,” he said.

(He said he was scared. Among his reasons for doing so was that he was not involved in the crime.)

This development came after Kraft held a press briefing on Thursday to publicly identify Manalo as one of the suspects and announce a P500,000 reward money for their arrest.

Police earlier said Stacey was walking with his girlfriend, Pamela Villanoza, along Filmore Street in Barangay Palanan when armed motorcycle-riding men waylaid them and declared a hold-up.

Stacey then tried to grab the assailant’s weapon, but the latter only fired the gun at the former’s left chest, resulting in his death, it added.

The suspects stole from Villanoza her phone and wallet before fleeing toward Pasay City.

JMS