P100,000 reward put up for killers of 4 in Bulacan

BALAGTAS, Bulacan—Mayor Romeo Castro on Thursday said the town government has put up a P100,000 reward for the arrest of the killers of a 77-year-old rice trader, his daughter and his two grandchildren here.

Rodrigo Roque, a rice mill owner, his daughter, Cristina Sta. Ana, 42, and grandchildren Corine Joy, 12, and Christian, 10, were buried on Wednesday.

Police are looking into robbery as the motive of the killing. They said the suspects attacked the victims with knives, a screw driver and a steel pipe at Sta. Ana’s family home in St. Francis Village in Barangay Borol 2nd here at past 2 a.m. on Aug. 17.

The suspects fled with a vault, which is believed to contain more than P200,000, and several pieces of jewelry.

Police said neighbors failed to notice any commotion in the house because of heavy rains at that time.

Roque’s grandson, Erickson Roque, 27, discovered the crime after he arrived in the house at 2:30 a.m. He said he saw his grandfather and aunt in the living room while the children were in their bedrooms.

Police said Corine Joy had 45 stab wounds in the chest and head. Carmela Reyes-Estrope, Inquirer Central Luzon