Suspect in slaying of 2 ice cream vendors in Iloilo, killed

INQUIRER.net PHOTO

ILOILO CITY — A man tagged in the killing of two ice cream vendors last January, was found dead on Tuesday, hogtied and with slash wounds in the chest and throat, in Barangay Dawis in Pototan town in Iloilo province.

The victim was identified as Morito De la Peña of Barangay Tacas, Jaro District, Iloilo City.

His head was covered with packing tape while his hands and feet were also tied with packing tape.

A note was found near the victim’s short pants. It read: “Ako ang hing utod sa ulo sa duwa ka ice cream vendor sa Tacas. (I was the one who beheaded the two ice cream vendors in Tacas).”

De la Peña was one of the suspects in the killing of the ice cream vendors but no case was filed due to lack of witnesses.

Last Jan. 10, the bodies of RJ Alumia, 31 and Andrew Igpaz, 23, both residents of Barangay Anilao, Pavia, Iloilo, were found inside separate jute sacks that were dumped in the river along Barangay Ungka, Jaro District.

The bodies had gaping hack wounds in the neck.

Insp. Ariel Corsino, Pototan police chief, said a resident of the village noticed a white Toyota Avanza passed by the area about 10 p.m. on Monday.

“It is possible that the victim was already dead when he was brought here that night. There was a little amount of blood (in the crime scene). The suspects might have just finished him here,” he said.

His body was discovered by John Michael Samulde, 24 when he and his siblings passed by the area.

“Our dog went to the area where the body was slumped. Our dog seemed to be afraid so I took a peek and saw the body,” Samulde said.

The killing of De la Peña came more than a week after the bodies of two victims of summary executions were discovered in separate areas in Iloilo.

The victims – Sherwin Taasan and Lou Facto – had pending charges of illegal possession of firearms, theft and drug peddling.  SFM