Drug detainee haunted by victims confesses to killing, tags 2 suspects

A drug suspect owns up to the killing of two students and identifies his companions: (inset, from left) Michael Sales and Jesus Ubani Jr. —CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS

Claiming he was being haunted by the victims in his dreams, a detained drug suspect has confessed to robbing two college students in Rodriguez, Rizal, earlier this month.

Mark Anthony Leonador, however, claimed that it was his two companions, Jesus Ubani Jr. and Michael Sales, who killed the victims — Charmaine Villarias, 21, and John Vincent Umiten, 20.

Ubani, he claimed, also raped Villarias.

The hogtied bodies of the third year students of Colegio de Montalban in Rizal were found on Oct. 4 at a grassy lot inside the Amityville Subdivision in Barangay San Jose, Rodriguez. Their valuables, including their cell phones, were missing.

Both had been stabbed to death, with bruises on their bodies which indicated they were also struck with a hard object.

Supt. Hector Grijaldo, Rodriguez police chief, said that Leonador was arrested on Oct. 6 for possession of illegal drugs.

But it was only on Oct. 26 that he casually told a local reporter about his part in the students’ deaths, saying he was being bothered by his conscience.

Nightmares in jail

“The students were haunting him. He was seeing their images. He had nightmares inside the jail. He was also afraid he might eventually be killed so he decided to confess,” Grijaldo told the Inquirer.

Based on the suspect’s confession, Ubani and Sales were arrested on Oct. 29 and 30, respectively.

They were presented to the media on Monday by Rizal provincial police director, Supt. Albert Ocon.

Leonador also led the police to one of the murder weapons, an ice pick, which he claimed the suspects had buried near his house. The other weapon, a knife, has yet to be found.

All three suspects were earlier tagged by investigators as among the 15 persons of interest in the students’ killing.

Ocon said the three men were known robbers operating in Barangay San Jose. Grijaldo added that the suspects would take the valuables of college students and exchange these for drugs.

Leonador confirmed this, saying they had robbed the two victims because they needed money to buy drugs.

Ubani, however, showed interest in Villarias, telling his companions that he fancied her. Leonador claimed that he left after taking the victims’ cell phones, telling his companions, “This is not part of the plan.”

A police report said that as Ubani was raping Villarias, Umiten tried to come to her defense, prompting Sales to slit his throat.

Phones swapped for drugs

Early next morning, Leonador said Ubani and Sales came to his house and they decided to bury the ice pick nearby, along with their bloody clothes.

The victims’ cell phones were exchanged for drugs while the P700 in cash stolen from them was used to buy liquor, according to the police.

Grijaldo said Ubani and Sales had denied Leonador’s allegations against them and had pointed to each other as the one who raped and strangled Villarias.

The three remain detained at the Rodriguez police station which was preparing to file charges of double murder against them.