Pampanga judge orders arrest of slain bank teller’s husband

ANGELES CITY—A judge has ordered police and the National Bureau of Investigation to arrest and present in court within 10 days the former husband of slain bank teller Tania Camille Dee.

Judge Gemma Theresa Hilario-Logronio of Municipal Trial Court (MTC) Branch 3 here issued the warrant of arrest on July 3 in connection with the alleged violation committed by Fidel Shieldon Arcenas of the conditions of his probation. Arcenas was convicted in an attempted homicide case in 2011 but instead of going to prison, he applied for and was granted a four-year probation.

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) has tagged Arcenas, 38, a “person of interest” in Dee’s murder.

The bank teller was reported missing on June 20 after supposedly meeting Arcenas in a restaurant here. Her body was dug up on June 28 from a meter-deep grave in the backyard of a house owned by the family of Arcenas’ girlfriend.

Marlon Roque, clerk of court of MTC Branch 3, said the warrant was issued three days after City Prosecutor Oliver Garcia filed a motion for the revocation of Arcenas’ probation, citing the latter’s failure to comply with the conditions of his probation.

A probationer must report at least once a month to the probation officer, must not commit any other offense and must not transfer residence without due notice to the probation officer. Violating any of these conditions may result in the revocation of the probation.

Garcia told the court that Arcenas failed to report to his probation officer on June 24.

After his conviction for attempted homicide in 2011, Arcenas applied for probation, which was approved by Logronio. The probation started on Nov. 15, 2011, and would end on Nov. 15 this year.

In a phone interview on Tuesday, Isagani Villena, chief probation and parole officer here, said his office would also file a motion for revocation of Arcenas’ probation.

Arcenas is mandated to report twice a month to his probation officer, said a staff member of the Angeles City probation and parole office.

The Pampanga Criminal Investigation and Detection Team, which discovered and exhumed Dee’s body, said Arcenas and his girlfriend, Maria Angela Francesca Dychioco, could be considered suspects in the crime.

On Tuesday, Director Benjamin Magalong, CIDG chief, and Dychioco conducted a reenactment of what happened in the house where Dee’s body was found buried. Dychioco was accompanied by her lawyer.

Magalong told reporters that Dychioco’s affidavit and the reenactment were consistent. Quoting from the sworn statement, he said Dychioco, out of fear, helped Arcenas bring Dee’s body to the grave and clean the house.

Dychioco is under the protection of the CIDG at Camp Crame, main headquarters of the Philippine National Police.