Cops arrest witness-turned-suspect in Pasig rape-slay

Mabel Cama, who had just started working at a Mandaluyong bank for a week, was found dead on Nov. 12, with her deformed face struck, possibly by a hard object. (Photo from her Facebook page)

A witness-turned-suspect in the killing of a 22-year-old bank employee, whom police suspect had also been raped, was arrested on Sunday morning.

Truck driver Randy Oavenada, 37, was still sleeping inside his room when was arrested at 9:30 a.m. inside Timber Port Enterprises compound on Ortigas Avenue Extension in Barangay Rosario, Senior Supt. Orlando Yebra, chief of the Pasig City Police Station, said.

Yebra said the the follow-up operation came after tests from the PNP-Crime Lab revealed that Oavenada’s fingerprints matched those that were found on the cellphone and the body of Mabel Cama.

The police chief added the suspect also tested positive for illegal drug use.

Oavenada denied the allegations, according to Yebra.

On Nov. 12, Cama’s half-naked body was found in an abandoned building occupied by Timber Port, in the compound of Mega Bus Lines, around 100 meters from where the victim was living.

Cama’s father works as an electrician at the bus company.

Cama, who had just started working at a Mandaluyong bank for a week, was found dead with her deformed face struck, possibly by a hard object, police said.

The victim’s lower body was burned, and her underwear and shorts were found beside her.

Her valuables except her cellphone had been taken away.

Earlier, Oavenada earlier told police he saw mechanic Diolan Acebuche, who also lives in the compound, standing behind the victim as she was texting to get inside their place on night of Nov. 10.

The suspect also claimed seeing Acebuche tearing carton boxes near the crime scene the following day.

Yebra said, however, that investigators grew suspicious of Oavenada as he gave “conflicting and inconsistent” statements.

For instance, Oavenada told police he didn’t go near the crime scene. But other workers said they saw him in the area.

Yerba added that Acebuche, whom the suspect pointed to as one of the suspects, was actually asleep on the night Cama was killed, as corroborated by other witnesses.

“He just wanted a scapegoat out of his crime so he could walk away scot-free, but the evidence says otherwise,” the police chief said.

Oavenada is detained at Pasig City Police Station, where he will be inquested for an initial charge of murder, according to Chief Supt. Romulo Sapitula, chief of the Eastern Police District (EPD).

An additional case of rape would be added if the Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory would find out signs that the woman had been forced to have sex.

Sapitula noted that Cama’s genitals were burned, making it difficult to determine if she had been raped.

Yebra said, however, they were still investigating four other persons of interest, whom he did not identify.

“We believe that this horrific crime could not be done by Oavenada alone,” he said. “We are still on the hunt for other suspects and will cases against them as John Does.” /atm