BALANGA CITY, Bataan, Aug. 12 (PNA) — After almost 15 months, the suspect in the death and robbing of an elderly couple in their residence in Samal town fell in the hands of police on Wednesday.
Police Supt. Frederick Obar, Balanga City police chief, said police operatives nabbed Gilbert de Lara, 40, in their residence in Tortugas, a seaside village in the city, based on a warrant of arrest issued by the Regional Trial Court.
“The suspect is facing the crime of robbery with double homicide. It took time to arrest him because he jumped from one place to another. The patience of police operatives paid off,” the police chief said.
De Lara did not resist arrest.
Police considered the suspect as a priority target in Central Luzon.
“Hindi ko kayang gumawa ng ganoong bagay.Tiyahin ko, kapatid ng nanay ko, namatay. Kung walang maniniwala sa akin, Diyos na makapagsasabi (I cannot do it because the victim was the sister of my mother. If nobody believes me, only God can tell the truth),” de Lara said.
Housemaid Elizabeth Mirasol, 46, discovered Rolly Cortez, 75 and wife, Flor, 69, the suspect’s aunt, sprawled dead in the garage in the morning of May 20, 2014.
A few days later, the housemaid died from gunshots from still unidentified suspect.
The Scene of the Crime Operatives found the elderly couple with wounds on the foreheads apparently inflicted by a hard object.
Cabinets in the first and second floors of the house were opened and robbed of cash and jewelries. (PNA)