Marikina police special task group to track down prof killer

The home of Marikina university Vice President Dr. Alfredo Dimaano, where the victim was found dead, stabbed multiple times. PHOTO by Jodee Agoncillo/INQUIRER

The Eastern Police District has  launched a special task group to speed up the investigation into the killing of a Marikina university vice president on Wednesday morning.

EPD director Chief Superintendent Romulo Sapitula launched “Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) Professor” on Thursday to hunt down the killer of 44-year-old Dr. Alfredo Dimaano, a psychology professor and vice president for academic affairs at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Marikina (PLMar), who was stabbed seven times inside his house at Marikit Village, Barangay (village) Concepcion Uno in Marikina City.

READ: University VP found dead after receiving male guest at home

The task group will be led by Chief Inspector Joven Lagra, deputy for operations of the Marikina police.

Senior Supt. Lorenzo Holanday Jr., Marikina police chief, said Dimaano died from seven stab wounds in the neck and back, and was found bloodied atop his bed, only with his boxer shorts on.

Police said Dimaano had no signs of struggle, but the victim could also be strangulated using a towel before being stabbed repeatedly.

The victim’s caretaker said around 11 p.m. on Wednesday, Dimaano was waiting for a male visitor who proceeded immediately to the victim’s bedroom with Dimaano ushering him in. Around 4 a.m. the next day, another witness—a barangay executive officer—saw a man, around 18 to 20 years old and standing 5’2″, leaving the house.

The house had no closed circuit television (CCTV) footage but the barangay CCTV had caught an image of the suspect. The Marikina police are still validating the composite sketch of the suspect, who wore a visor.

Sapitula, in a message, said the  police are still investigating if the person of interest is a possible student at PLMar. They also consider as a person of interest caretaker Glen Palasa, who was Dimaano’s lone companion.

In an interview with reporters, Palasa said Dimaano’s last visitor was not familiar.  Palasa said Dimaano was a very good boss and friend and had even inspired him to finish school. “I was worried that Kuya was entertaining several visitors even at night. I have warned him before,” he said.

Holanday said they are looking into all angles, including work and other personal reasons.

In an interview with the Inquirer at PLMar, a faculty member who refused to be named dismissed speculations Dimaano’s death was related to rivalry in school as the victim had no known enemy or
detractors.

Dimaano who had been teaching psychology, calculus and other math subjects at PLMar since 2011, was a candidate for presidency at the university. He was also part-time lecturer at the De La Salle University, De La Salle-Araneta, St. Paul’s College in Manila and a former lecturer at the Far Eastern University.

He was PLMar’s concurrent vice president and a well-loved thesis adviser and panelist of around 400 graduating students.

“Dimaano was a very good and generous professor, and he welcomed anyone, everyone to his house, even lent books for students taking their thesis,” one of the faculty members told the Inquirer.

HIs remains lie at the Our Lady of the Abandoned Parish in Marikina City./rga