Suspect in murder of Batangas town resort owner falls
JOINT operatives arrested in Oriental Mindoro the suspect in the brutal slaying of an elderly female resort owner in Bgy. Durungao, Bauan, Batangas last June.
In a report submitted to Batangas Police Provincial Office director Col. Jacinto “Jack” Malinao Jr., arrested was Rolando Mauro, 42, of Gen. Luna St., Bgy. Bolo, Bauan, Batangas.
Mauro, tagged as Top 2 in the list of most wanted persons in Region 4A (Calabarzon), was caught in Bgy. Sto Nino, Calapan City Oriental Mindoro.
The suspect was accused of killing 73-year-old Carmen Maranan, owner of the Maranan Resort at Sitio Gintuan in Bgy. Durungao, Bauan.
Bgy. Durungao chairman Arnel Maranan, son of the victim, said Mauro, a former worker of his mother, was captured in Calapan, Oriental Mindoro after months of hiding.
A tracker team of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Batangas Provincial Field Unit, the Calapan City Police Station and the Bauan Municipal Police Station arrested the suspect based on an arrest warrant for murder issued by Judge Ma. Conception Arano Billones of the Fourth Judicial Region, Branch 1, Batangas City, Batangas on Nov. 22, 2024, with no bail recommended.
Authorities said the arrest was part of the “Oplan Pagtugis” campaign against wanted persons by the Philippine National Police (PNP).
Reports showed the suspect, a former worker of the victim, allegedly killed the elderly Maranan by hitting her with a flower vase on the head.
Authorities eye old grudge and robbery as motive for the killing.
Mataas na kahoy Vice Mayor and gubernatorial candidate Jay Ilagan earlier offered a P500,000 reward for the capture of Mauro.
The arrested suspect was brought to the CIDG-Batangas PFU for documentation and proper disposition.