Army major arrested for murder of housewife in Tagum City

TAGUM CITY, Davao del Norte, Philippines – Authorities have arrested an Army officer tagged in the killing of a 27-year-old housewife near a lodging inn here late last week, police on Monday said.

Maj. Abdillah Pangcatan, 49, was arrested on Sundah after witnesses identified him in a police lineup as the man who shot dead Ritchell Anne Austero across Boarder’s Inn in Barangay (village) Visayan Village Friday morning, Insp. Anjanette Tirador, city police investigation chief, said.

The arrest came as police sought the help of the Philippine Army’s 10th Infantry Division based in Compostela Valley, after initial findings pointed to the Army officer as the one behind Austero’s killing, Tirador said.

“Several witnesses (of the shooting) came forward and gave vital pieces of information that led us to the suspect. We’re also thankful to (Maj. General Eduardo Ano) for cooperating with us on this case,” the police official said.

Pangcatan, a resident of Villa Cacacho Subdivision, Barangay Mankilam here, was initially invited for questioning at the Tagum City police station around 11 a.m. Sunday and subsequently arrested, Tirador said.

Presently assigned with the 10th ID headquarters support unit, Pangcatan used to be a Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) fighter who was among the 3,000 former guerrillas who were integrated into the Philippine Army, police said.

Seized from Pangcatan were a black Rouser motorcycle (YU-5652), a cal. 45 Norinco pistol with seven rounds of ammunition in its magazine, a green sling bag with 20 bullets in four magazines, a hand grenade, pistol holster, a vial containing an undetermined liquid, a disposable lighter and a leather wallet containing military identification cards and other documents.

Police said they were looking at personal grudge as the motive for the young wife’s murder.

Austero, a resident of San Jose village, New Corella town, was shot several times by a man on a Rouser motorcycle as she ran out of the inn’s compound around 7:20 a.m. last Friday.

Sought for comment inside the Tagum City police lock-up cell, Pangcatan denied the allegation, saying he was not the only one who owned a Rouser motorcycle in Tagum.

Tirador said investigators were looking at jealousy as a motive for the killing, although she refused to elaborate.

“They’re not lovers. Both of them were married,” she said of the victim and the suspect.

Tirador said a charge of murder has been lodged against the army officer before the city prosecutor’s office.