Suspect in Caloocan girl’s slay nabbed in QC

A suspect in the killing of a 12-year-old girl in Caloocan City was arrested by the police in Quezon City with the help of his sister on Monday.

Senior Supt. Chito Bersaluna, chief of the Caloocan police, said Lino Albais did not resist arrest when found at a relative’s house in Diliman but he denied having a hand in the death of Rebecca Galguerra.

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The 40-year-old Albais, a resident on the lot where the victim’s naked body was found by her mother, claimed that he and Galguerra had a relationship.

“That’s just his excuse,” Bersaluna said in a phone interview on Tuesday, adding that murder charges would be filed against Albais, as well as rape if autopsy findings would show that the minor was also sexually assaulted.

According to the police, Albais went into hiding after Galguerra was found dead on a vacant lot on Cypress Street, Rainbow Village, Barangay 171.

The girl’s head was wrapped in plastic while her body had bruises and cuts.

The initial investigation showed that on Friday, Galguerra and her sibling went to the lot, which they had been frequenting lately to pick mangoes, but ran away when the suspect approached and touched the victim’s private parts.

Galguerra was reported missing Saturday night and her body was found on Sunday.

Albais, a jobless man who had earned the moniker “Baliw” or crazy in his neighborhood because of his odd behavior, was considered a suspect in the case as investigators cited circumstantial evidence pointing to him as the perpetrator.

A sister of the suspect cooperated with the police in locating Albais in Quezon City, Bersaluna said.—Aie Balagtas See