Cops say family conspired to kill Canadian

CHARGES of robbery with homicide were filed yesterday against the farmer who admitted killing 53-year-old Canadian Darcy Hanz Reutenberg in the mountain barangay of Adlawon, Cebu City.

Rolando Aburot, 46, said he committed  the crime  alone.

But Aburot’s admission didn’t stop the police from filing charges against his wife Marilyn and their 17-year-old son for an alleged conspiracy.

The three respondents were brought before the Cebu City Prosecutors’ Office for inquest proceedings yesterday afternoon.

The charges were elevated before the Regional Trial Court.

A crime of robbery with homicide is nonbailable.

In an interview, Aburot said he was asked by Reutenberg to construct a rest house in a lot owned by the grandmother of the accused.

Reutenberg allegedly sought the permission of the lot owner.

However, Aburot found out that Reutenberg lied to him.

Also, the Canadian allegedly failed to pay him for building the house in a span of two weeks.

Last June 26, Aburot said he and the Canadian had a drinking session. Aburot confronted Reutenberg about the latter’s failure to seek the permission of his grandmother.

He said the Canadian allegedly got angry and pointed a firearm at him. Aburot said he grappled for the gun with Reutenberg.

When he got possession of the firearm, Aburot said he shot the Canadian in the head.

Aburot said he took P50,000 from the wallet of Reutenberg before he buried the Canadian in a pit used for charcoal making near his house.

Afterwards, Aburot cemented the grave, which he used as a pig pen.

So no one will know about the crime, Aburot bought  seven piglets and placed them in the pen.

He also bought two carabaos.

Aburot said he didn’t inform his wife about the incident until the latter inquired about where he got the money to buy farm animals.

His wife allegedly sold the laptop for P8,000. Police recovered the laptop  from a buyer.

Aburot claimed he knew  Reutenberg for more than 15 years.

He said Reutenberg asked him to build a rest house in Adlawon since the foreigner looked forward to staying more often in the country.

Reutenberg’s landlady informed the police about his disappearance.

When police arrived in Reutenberg’s rest house, his neighbors pointed out a trail of blood that led to Aburot’s house.

Police later dug up a pit beside the newly cemented pig pen where they found Reutenberg’s decomposing remains.

The three respondents were later arrested. /Reporter Ador Vincent S. Mayol