PAO sees ‘staged crime scene’ on Arnaiz case

Carl Angelo Arnaiz (Photo from his Facebook account)

Staged.

This was how Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) forensic expert, Dr. Erwin Erfe, described on Friday the crime scene in Caloocan City where Carl Angelo Arnaiz was allegedly killed in a shootout with the police.

“Ang tingin po namin ay secondary crime scene at itinapon lang doon si Carl Angelo (We think that it was just a secondary crime scene and Carl Angelo was just dumped there),” Erfe said in an interview with DZBB radio.

“Mukhang staged crime scene po iyong kay Carl Angelo Arnaiz (It was a staged crime scene),” he added.

Erfe said PAO’s forensic team did not see any traces of blood nor bullet marks on the wall. What they found, however, were shell casings of a 9mm-gun, which the doctor said were easy to find, especially in firing ranges.

In its autopsy report, PAO said Arnaiz suffered five gunshot wounds: three in the middle of his chest, which indicated he was kneeling when shot; one at the left side of his chest; and another one at the back of his arm.

He also had scratches and bruises in his body, which indicated he was beaten and dragged before getting killed.

Members of the Caloocan City police claimed that Arnaiz was killed in a shootout after robbing taxi driver, Tomas Bagcal, along C-3 Road.

He was last seen alive on August 18 with 14-year-old friend, Reynaldo de Guzman, as they went out for midnight snacks. Arnaiz was found 10 days later in a morgue in Caloocan City while de Guzman was found only on Tuesday, floating in a creek in Gapan City, Nueva Ecija. KGA