ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews/21 February) – Police arrested four suspects behind the brutal killing three days ago of two septuagenarian farm owners and their five-year-old granddaughter in Basilan province.
Killed on Monday at their farmhouse in Barangay Switch Yakal, Lantawan, Basilan were Pablo Guerrero, 74, his wife, Teresa, 72, and their granddaughter, Trixie, 5.
The victims were killed while they were visiting their farm in Lantawan. They were from Barangay Boalan, this city.
First to be arrested was Rigoberto Erasga, a resident of Barangay Talisayan, this city who had been staying for two weeks at the farm of the victims.
Senior Insp. Edilberto Alvarez, Police Station 9 chief, said Erasga was arrested around 6 p.m. Tuesday in Barangay Cawit, this city.
Alvarez said Erasga was arrested following a tip-off from the suspects’ relatives, and was turned over to the police of Lantawan.
Chief Insp. Basirin Hassan, Lantawan police chief, said they arrested the other two suspects namely Ricky Toledo and Alty Falcasantos after Erasga named them as among his accomplices.
Hassan said Toledo and Falcasantos were arrested in a follow-up operation Wednesday afternoon in Barangay Switch Yakal, Lantawan.
Hassan said the fourth suspect identified as Edgar Makiling was arrested Thursday also in Barangay Switch Yakal.
The police official said criminal charges have been filed Thursday against the suspects, who were committed to the Basilan Provincial Jail. (MindaNews)