A relative of the 37-year-old woman who was killed and allegedly raped in Calape last month has admitted that he and two others were behind the grisly crime.
According to Calape chief of police Major Julius Garcia, they arrested Randy Tesorio, who has been identified as a distant relative of rape-slay victim Lucina Tesorio Cuago, and one other suspect through separate anti-drug operations.
Garcia however noted that Tesorio who admitted to having had a hand in the killing of Cuago may not be included in the murder and rape charges as he could be considered as a witness.
The police chief said that they are already preparing to file charges against the two other suspects and consider the case as solved.
Tesorio was apprehended only for drug raps but he voluntarily admitted that he and two of his cohorts in the drug trade, brothers Danilo and Marlon Rosagoran, were behind the rape and murder of Cuago in their hideout at a secluded sitio in Calape on April 29.
“Ang sabi niya ang victim kamag-anak niya kaya nakonsensya siya. Sinabi nalang daw niya ang totoo na ang dalawang kasama niya ang pumatay sa victim,” Garcia said.
Tesorio and Danilo were arrested in buy-bust operations on May 7 and 12, respectively, while Marlon remained at large.
Wrong place, wrong time
Based on Tesorio’s statements, Garcia said that the trio only chanced upon Cuago while she was on her routine morning bike ride when they decided to abduct her and take her to their hideout in Barangay San Isidro, Calape.
“Nakit-an nila, gikuha nila unya gidala nila didto sa ilang hideout,” said Garcia, adding that the group was hiding in the village to lay low after carrying out a robbery in Pilar.
According to the police official, it was Danilo and Marlon who killed and raped the victim while Tesorio was unable to stop them as the brothers were armed and bigger than him.
Tesorio however admitted that he helped in dumping the body and hiding the victim’s bicycle.
Meanwhile, police investigators noted that they found a pubic hair strand and “unidentified liquid” in the victim’s underwear which may be used to place one or both suspects in the crime scene if their samples match.
Cuago who was strangled to death using the strap of her bike helmet was found lifeless on the same day she was murdered.
Her remains were discovered in a grassy area near a remote village road in Barangay San Isidro by her husband on the same day he reported her missing as she was not able to return home from her morning bike ride. (A. Doydora)