Couple arrested for rob-slay of Turkish national

By Glazyl M. Jopson

BACOLOD CITY — Authorities arrested a couple hours after a 57-year-old Turkish national was found dead in a sugarcane field in Sitio Mampuso, Barangay Canlamay, Ilog, Negros Occidental on Sunday.

Initial investigation showed that the victim had a drinking session with a woman prior to the incident.

While they were walking near a sugarcane field, the victim was attacked and mauled by unidentified individuals, causing fatal injuries to his head.

A follow-up operation was conducted, leading to the arrest of the suspects — a 34-year-old man and his 35-year-old live-in partner, both residents of the village.

During the investigation, the male suspect admitted to the killing and disclosed that the crime was motivated by robbery, according to the Police Regional Office-Negros Island Region.

The suspect further revealed that the attack was premeditated and planned together with his live-in partner, who lured the victim prior to the incident, the PRO-NIR reported.

A joint operation of the police and Army led to the recovery of vital evidence at the crime scene, including the victim’s prosthetic leg and clothing, a car key, the suspect’s clothing including gloves and a sweatshirt, and a black T-shirt used as a facial covering.

Under the Revised Penal Code, robbery with homicide is a special complex crime that carries the penalty of reclusion perpetua, or imprisonment of 20 years and one day to 40 years, when a killing occurs by reason or on the occasion of a robbery.

Police Brig. Gen. Arnold Thomas Ibay, PRO-NIR director, commended the operating units for their prompt and coordinated response to deliver justice and hold the perpetrators accountable.

“We will remain relentless both in solving crimes and strengthening preventive measures to ensure the safety of our communities,” Ibay said.

The swift recovery of evidence and the admission of one of the suspects further strengthened the case buildup for the filing of robbery with homicide charges.