Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Suspect In Baguio City Massacre Identified, Police Manhunt Is Ongoing

The suspect in the gruesome massacre that happened last Sunday afternoon in Baguio City has been identified by the Baguio City Police through the help of an eyewitness. The suspect was identified as Philip Tolentino Avino. He's also known by the alias of Michael Geronimo. In the afternoon of April 6, Avino entered an apartment in the 4th floor of a building in Kayang Street, Hilltop and stabbed five people to their deaths. Three of the victims were children.

The authorities were able to identify Avino through the help of a witness who was also a former live-in partner of the suspect. The witness works in an eatery owned by the parents of two of the victims. Police investigation showed that the witness and Avino were in a romantic relationship but they broke up last Friday, which was just two days before the crimes were committed by Avino. This prompted Baguio City Police Office Director Rolando Miranda to declare that "The witness was the main target of the suspect as he was not amenable to their break-up."

The victims were identified as follows: Jackelyn Kale Marquez Nociete (19 years old), Joey Marquez Nociete Jr. (9 years old), Jonalyn Lozano, Dave John de Guzman (8 eight years old), and Raymund Del Mundo (8 years old). Jackelyn Kale was a student at Saint Louis University. Jonalyn was their househelp. Dave John and Raymund were playmates of Joey.

Php100,000 Bounty On Avino
Mauricio Domogan, mayor of Baguio City has offered a bounty of Php100,000 for anyone who can successfully pinpoint the whereabouts of Avino. A police manhunt is ongoing. If you have any information which can help in the operation, you can contact Senior Superintendent Rolando Miranda at his mobile phone number 09178281990. Miranda is the acting Director of the Baguio City Police Office.
Manila Bulletin
Here's what we know so far about the incident:
1) Avino and the witness were former lovers. They broke up on Friday (April 4) which was just a few days before the crime was committed on Sunday (April 6). This seems to be the most probable motive behind the crime.
2) Due to the brutality of the attacks, the police is not discounting the possibility that Avino may have been under the influence of drugs when he attacked the victims. However, media reports on the incident contain no information as to whether Avino is a user of drugs or if he has a history of using.
3) Mental illness can also be a possibility. However, media reports on the incident contain no information as to whether Avino was ever diagnosed with a mental illness.
4) Avino was looking for Joey Nociete Sr., father of two of the victims before the attacks occurred. Was there a spat between Avino and Nociete Jr. in the past?

Sources: Sun Star BaguioManila Bulletin, Tempo