Fourth suspect surrenders in Kent Carpenter killing

By Glazyl M. Jopson

BACOLOD CITY — A fourth suspect in the killing of 73-year-old American marine biologist Kent E. Carpenter surrendered to authorities shortly before midnight Thursday.

Police Capt. Stephen Polinar, spokesperson for the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office, confirmed Friday that the 21-year-old resident of Barangay Ajong in Sibulan, Negros Oriental, sought the help of barangay officials in surrendering.

Polinar said the suspect allegedly served as a lookout during the attack.

With the surrender, police have accounted for four of the five suspects and are pursuing the remaining suspect.

Police have filed robbery with homicide complaints against the four suspects with the provincial prosecutor’s office.

Mark, 26, and Jal, 40, both residents of Barangay Ajong, were arrested during hot-pursuit operations Wednesday.

The two underwent inquest proceedings with the two other suspects who surrendered.

Authorities are continuing their search for the fifth suspect.

Police said the suspects took PHP 75,000 in cash, a laptop, and binoculars from Carpenter’s home.

Polinar said police would also file a rape complaint against the suspect accused of sexually assaulting Carpenter’s 34-year-old Filipina live-in partner.

He said a negative medical examination does not conclusively rule out sexual assault.

Investigators are also determining whether the suspects conspired in the alleged assault, Polinar said.

Police said one of the assailants shot Carpenter in the head before he was found dead in the living room of his home.

Carpenter’s partner was injured during the attack and is serving as a witness.

Police Col. Timmar Alam, director of the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office, visited Carpenter’s wake at the Garden of Saints in Camanjac, Dumaguete City, on Friday to offer condolences and prayers.

Negros Oriental police also coordinated with Carpenter’s family to determine what assistance the agency could provide.

Carpenter was a professor emeritus of biological sciences at Old Dominion University and a longtime research associate at Silliman University in Dumaguete City.

He served as an expert for the Philippines in its South China Sea arbitration case against China, submitting reports and testimony about damage to coral reefs and fisheries.

The case record also included satellite imagery and video evidence documenting environmental conditions and activities in the disputed waters.

The arbitral tribunal ruled in 2016 that China’s island-building activities had caused severe harm to coral reef ecosystems in the South China Sea.

Carpenter also conducted extensive research on Philippine marine ecosystems and helped establish the central Philippines as a global center of marine shore-fish diversity.