3 in slay of teenager caught stealing jackfruits yield

MASBATE—Three men charged with the killing of an unidentified 17-year-old high school student caught stealing jackfruits in Aroroy, Masbate, surrendered to police over the weekend.

Senior Supt. Heriberto Olitoquit, Masbate police chief, identified the three suspects as Levy Madrilejos, 41; Arnel Chavez, 27; and Joel Handumon, 27.

In a phone interview on Monday, Olitoquit said the three men were charged with murder for the killing.

The three allegedly took the victim by force after catching him in the act of stealing jackfruits in a land owned by a certain Ilo Velasco on Wednesday last week.

Olitoquit said investigators believe the three men could have murdered the victim early the following day before dumping the body on a grassland in the hillside of the village.

The victim’s decomposing body was discovered by the police and the Army in Aroroy at around 4 p.m. on Saturday.

A bolo was recovered in the crime scene, said Olitoquit. Jonas Cabiles Soltes, Inquirer Southern Luzon