Man accused of killing pusoy buddy in wake arrested

By Jennifer P. Rendon

A man accused of murdering his card game buddy at a funeral wake was arrested morning of May 9 in Anilao, Iloilo.

Police identified the suspect as Francisco Boteja, 37, of Barangay Pamuringao Proper, Cabatuan, Iloilo.

Members of Anilao Municipal Police Station, together with Cabatuan and Maasin police personnel, 603rd Company of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion (RMFB) 6, 2nd Iloilo Provincial Mobile Force Company, and Highway Patrol Group, collared Boteja at Barangay Cag-an, Anilao, around 8 a.m. Tuesday.

Boteja is wanted for murder in Criminal Case Number 2023-10892.

Judge Jose Mauricio Gomez of the Regional Trial Court Branch 71 in Barotac Viejo, Iloilo issued the warrant on April 27, 2023.

No bail was recommended for Boteja’s temporary liberty.

Captain Maria Fe Umiten, Anilao police chief, said the suspect is Anilao’s second most wanted man and seventh in Iloilo province.

He was accused of killing Roy Apura, 54, of Dangulaan, Anilao in Cag-an village on Jan. 22, 2023.

The suspect, who was staying with a relative in Anilao, had a misunderstanding with Apura while playing pusoy, a kind of card game.

Boteja went home after they were pacified, but he returned to the funeral wake minutes later.

Without a word, he repeatedly stabbed the victim in the chest.

Apura succumbed to four stab injuries. The suspect fled after the incident.