CAVITE policemen have captured the main suspect in the killing of a 24-year-old graduating computer science student of the De La Salle University (DLSU)-Dasmariñas last Tuesday, officials said.

According to Cavite Police Provincial Office (PPO) director, Colonel Christopher F. Olazo, suspect Angelito “Kulet” Erlano was tracked down in his hiding place in Purok 4, Barangay Victory Reyes in Dasmariñas City around 10:40 a.m. Saturday.

The suspect is the same man seen in a CCTV footage leaving the place where Queen Leanne Daguinsin was found dead, a victim of a robbery with homicide case.

Olazo said that members of the Dasmariñas City Police Station and the Cavite PPO’s Provincial Intelligence Unit searched the house of the accused in Bgy. San Nicolas 2 on Thursday morning and recovered a black shorts with a white stripe, a blue t-shirt with the “Eagle” trademark and the victim’s black Sena backpack.

The two pieces of clothing were the ones being worn by the suspect when he was seen in the CCTV footage.

Philippine National Police chief, General Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr., congratulated Police Regional Office 4-A director, Brigadier Gen. Jose Melencio C. Nartatez, and the Cavitte PPO for immediately arresting the suspect.

“We condemn this heinous crime and we will ensure that the perpetrator will be put behind bars and punished for the crime he committed.

We also thank the public for the cooperation they made with the authorities and for the information that have provided for the arrest of the suspect,” the top cop said.

Azurin likewise maintained that they remain committed in maintaining peace and order and in observing human rights while they go all-out to give justice to the victim and her family.

The Cavite police director said that Erlano has two known criminal records, both involving robbery. The first was a case for robbery with force upon things which was provisionally dismissed on June 27, 2022, for lack of interest of the private complainant to prosecute with the expressed consent of the accused.

The second is another robbery case in which the suspect was released from jail after posting bail on September 23 last year.

On orders of Nartatez, the Cavite PPO’s Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) Daguinsin launched a massive hunt for the suspect.

The SITG headed by Olazo is building up a solid case against the accused before filing criminal charges at the local prosecutor’s office.

An investigation showed that the female caretaker of the Rolisa Dormitory where the victim lives discovered her lifeless body covered with blood. The woman immediately reported the incident to the local barangay captain who, in turn, called up the police.

Olazo said that CCTV footages showed that the suspect scaled the rooftop of the adjacent Aterrado Dormitory around 1 a.m. Wednesday before transferring to the second floor of the Rolisa Dormitory where he passed through a window to gain entry inside the victim’s room.

The CCTV footage showed the suspect wearing a blue t-shirt, black short pants, black cap and a pair of white slippers. He casually walked away from the scene carrying with him undetermined belongings of the victim.

An autopsy report showed that the victim suffered a total of 14 stab wounds: one in the neck, nine in the body and four in her left wrist and arm. Olazo said it appeared that the victim tried to defend herself from the knife-wielding suspect as evidenced by the “defensive wounds” she sustained.

There is no indication that the victim was raped however, the official said.

Olazo said that the reward money offered for the informant that would lead police to the killer of the graduating student has been raised to P1.1 million.

According to the official, Cavite Governor Juanito Victor “Jonvic” C. Remulla, Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. and the Dasmariñas City government each offered a P300,000 reward for the killer’s capture.

Cavite Representative Elpidio “Pidi” F. Barzaga Jr. and Dasmariñas City Mayor Jennifer A. Barzaga added P200,000 to the reward money.

Olazo had expressed optimism that the huge bounty would help them get the killer of the student.

The killing stunned the entire DLSU-Dasmariñas community.

Olazo said the Dasmariñas City Police Station headed by Lieutenant Col. Juan P. Oruga Jr. responded to the crime scene after receiving a call from Bgy. Sta. Fe chairman Emmanuel Noora.

Nartatez had ordered the Cavite police to use all its available resources and personnel to effect the arrest of the suspect. By ALFRED DALIZON & DENNIS ABRINA