CAMP GEN. VICENTE LIM, Calamba City — Emotions ran high and a near scuffle erupted, as family members of robbery-slay victim Shanmaine Pestaño faced off with the principal suspect – who was presented for a child-witness confirmation following Thursday’s press conference here.
Shanmaine’s elder sister, Trixie, burst into tears as she begged at 30-year-old tricycle driver Andrew Capano Baguasan, to reveal the identities of the others involved in the crime.
“Andy, utang na loob, ituro mo kung may kasama ka. Alam ko may natitira ka pang konsensiya. Kilala mo ako, at kilala kita. Hayop ka! (Andy, I beg of you to identify your accomplice. I know you still have your conscience left. You know me and I know you. You’re an animal),” Trixie said.
Police Regional Office (PRO-4A) Calabarzon Regional Director Chief Supt. Edward Carranza, with Bacoor City chief of police Supt. Vicente Cabatingan and police personnel pacified the situation after the media conference on the latest development of the robbery-murder case.
“Due to the continuous effort made by the elements of Bacoor City Police Station under the leadership of its Chief of Police Supt. Vicente S. Cabatingan, at around 1:15 a.m. on Aug. 2, the suspect in the stabbing incident voluntarily surrendered,” Carranza said.
Carranza said Baguasan voluntarily surrendered to authorities upon learning that his younger brother was among those lined-up by authorities as suspects in the robbery-slay.
He said Baguasan admitted that he was solely responsible for the stabbing incident that resulted in Pestaño’s death. The victim’s 8-year old niece Misha, who was roused from her sleep due to her aunt’s cry for help and the ensuing commotion, pointed to Baguasan as the one who stabbed the victim.
“There’s no more doubt that he (Baguasan) is really the suspect because an 8-year old child can pinpoint the suspect. Walang batang pwedeng magsinungaling sa ganitong insidente (There’s no child who could lie under this circumstance). We have a witness in the actual occurrence of the crime so we have a very solid evidence against the suspect),” Cabatingan said.
Initial investigation disclosed that Pestaño sustained 22 stab wounds from the small foldable knife used by the suspect, whose motive was robbery around 4 a.m. on July 27 at the victim’s home in Camella North, Barangay Molino 3, Bacoor City.
“Suspect Andrew Baguasan was included on the Watchlist of the Barangay Anti Drug Abuse Council (BADAC) as he was identified to be a drug dependent,” Carranza said, adding that the suspect was involved in a series of “akyat-bahay” heists in the neighborhood.
Prior to the incident, three witnesses saw the suspect roaming around the area, he added.
“The suspect has already executed his extrajudicial confession assisted by his lawyer,” the regional police director said.
Recovered from the suspect’s house include a TV black box and other items, and the clothes drenched in blood, which he wore on the day of the slay.
“Dito natin makikita this kind of incident na masyadong brutal. Hindi normal na tao ang gumagawa. (We can view from this kind of incident that is so brutal. This is not done by a normal person.) It is perpetrated by a person not in his right mind ang gumagawa ng mga ganitong klaseng krimen (who does this kind of crime),” Carranza said.
He said PNP Chief Director General Oscar Albayalde called him Tuesday morning and instructed him to follow up the case.
“Good enough magaling ang ating chief of police sa Bacoor. Marami pa siyang pending na i-serve na search warrants but he gave priority to this. At ang ganitong mga krimen, kailangang mabigyan agad ng kaukulang aksiyon ng pulis (we have a competent chief of police in Bacoor. He still has a lot of pending search warrants to be served but he gave priority to this. This kind of crime should be given immediate and proper action by the police),” he said.
Villagers said the suspect had been involved in theft cases by sneaking into unattended homes. The suspect admitted to police he was high on drugs when he committed the crime.
Cabatingan said there are still two missing watches from the victim, which could have been traded by the suspect in exchange for illegal drugs. (Saul Pa-a/PNA)
