Couple killed in Caloocan as robber panics, draws knife

An elderly couple were stabbed dead inside their house in Caloocan City on Tuesday morning by a robber who panicked when one of the victims screamed for help.

A report submitted to Senior Supt. Bernard Tambaoan, the city’s police chief, identified the couple as Herminigildo Suarez, 74; and his wife Rosalina, 75.

Based on the police investigation, a man identified only as “Berber” broke into the couple’s house in La Forteza Subdivision at Barangay 175, Camarin at 4:30 a.m. on Tuesday.

A witness who identified Berber as one of the workers at a nearby construction site told the police that Rosalina saw the suspect enter their house.

She screamed for help, prompting the suspect to stab her with a knife. Her husband, however, heard her scream and rushed to her aid.

“But ‘Berber’ was younger so he overpowered [Suarez] and stabbed him,” Tambaoan said, adding: “It was supposed to be a burglary but the thief panicked.”

The police chief said they had yet to determine if Berber was able to take anything from the house.

Two responding policemen who were informed about the commotion inside the house spotted Berber and chased him but when they got to the construction site, they were stopped by four men.

As a result, Berber managed to escape while the police took the four men into custody.

Tambaoan said another witness came forward to say that one of the four men who were arrested helped Berber climb up the fence of the victims’ house after the robbery attempt. He added that Berber was bloodied and appeared to have been wounded in his struggle with Suarez.

Police later identified the man as Efren Camposano. “So (Camposano) must have acted as the lookout,” Tambaoan said.

He added that charges for obstruction of justice would be filed against Camposano and the three other men whom Tambaoan did not immediately identify.