THANKS to footage and audio recorded by a high-quality Closed Circuit Television Camera (CCTV), the Southern Police District (SPD) has solved the gruesome case of three people bludgeoned to death by a 36-year old mechanic believed to be high on drugs when he murdered the victims last May 16.

“The audio and video taken by the CCTV camera installed outside the house of the victims led us to the identification of the killer and his eventual arrest in a follow-up operation,” SPD director, Brigadier General Leon Victor Z. Rosete told the Journal Group.

Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin C. Abalos Jr. and Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Rommel Francisco D. Marbil praised the National Capital Region Police Office, the SPD and the Las Piñas City Police Station for solving the multiple murder case with the arrest of the suspect Vincent Kanagy Rabanilla.

The DILG-PNP leaderships have long been battling for the installation of high-quality CCTV cameras in residential homes and public places in the country as the gadget has been associated with significantly increased chances of crimes being solved.

The CCTV footage clearly showed Nathalie Jane Cabintoy, the sister of Rabanilla’s live-in partner Mary Jean Avellana arriving at 2190 Saint Charles St. in Saint Joseph Subdivision in Brgy. Pulanglupa Dos in Las Piñas City 12:45 a.m. last May 16.

At 1:35 a.m., the CCTV showed the suspect wearing a pair of slippers, white t-shirt and short pants upon entering the same house. At 3:06 in the morning, Avellana arrived.

Shortly after, the commotion inside the house started followed by loud screams and cries from the couple’s 4-year old kid. The crackling sound of a piece of wood hitting an object and the barking of a dog can also be heard in the background.

“Daddy, daddy,” the boy shouted as he shrieked to the top of his voice while crying, the CCTV audio recorded.

It was followed by the voice of an angry man and the shrieks of two women as they obviously tried to fight off the much-stronger suspect. After that was dead silence.

At 7:28 in the morning, the CCTV recorded Avellana’s sister knocking at the door.

When the door opened, the slain woman’s son emerged from the inside while the suspect talked to her already dead partner’s sister as if nothing bad has happened.

“Kumain na ba yan,” the woman even asked the suspect while pointing to the young boy before leaving.

Following the discovery of the bodies of the three, NCRPO chief, Major Gen. Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr. and Brig. Gen. Rosete ordered all-out efforts to identify and arrest the killer.

Under the supervision of the two, the Las Piñas City Police Station, headed by Colonel Sandro Jay Tafalla, buckled down to work and traced the whereabouts of the killer.

The suspect was arrested while attempting to leave the city. He also abandoned his kid in another area while carrying with him some cash and clothes.

“We learned that he sold some of his tools after the killings. Obviously, he will use the money to hide,” said Brig. Gen. Rosete.

Maj. Gen. Naratez said the suspect was believed to be high on drugs when he bludgeoned the victims to death.

The SPD investigation showed that the suspect and his live-in partner were engaged in a verbal tussle which turned physical, and later fatal.

Cabintoy and their nephew Oliver Bautista, 11, tried to help the woman prompting the suspect to vent his full anger on the three and kill them.

Maj. Gen. Nartatez said that a CCTV video which has an audio recording capability captured the voices of the victims as they shouted for help and struggled with the suspect who has been inquested for three counts of murder before the Las Piñas City Prosecutor’s Office.

Statements of some witnesses have been taken by SPD investigators who also believe that the 4-year old son of the couple saw the actual killings and thus need help from psychological experts.