By Dick Garay
SANTA ROSA CITY, Laguna Sept. 6 (PNA) — Elements of Santa Rosa City Police Station headed by Police Superintendent Reynaldo Maclang, chief of police, arrested Duarte Bertulazo, 19, 3rd year Human Resource student at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) in this city,the suspected assailant of Paulo Miguel Catalla , 27, 3rd year student at the University of Perpetual Help Medical school, and nephew of Hongkong Consul General Bernardita Catalla, who was found dead yesterday (Sep 5) at Lando Heron Apartment Molave Street, Labrador Subdivision, Sinalhan Village in this city.
Police reports disclosed that the victim together with the suspect and Bea Exconde went to see a movie at SM City Santa Rosa on Friday (Sep 4) night and later the trio went bar hopping at the nearby city of San Pedro. After few drinks, the trio decided to go home dropping Exconde at the next city of Biñan while Catalla and Bertulazo proceeded to the apartment rented by the victim.
At 1:30 pm on Saturday, Michelle Vanessa discovered the lifeless Catalla, nude, swimming in his own blood inside the room.
Police authorities, who acted upon the report of Vanessa, discovered 10 icepick wounds in the body of the victim.
CCTV footages recovered by the police corroborated with the statements of Exconde and Vanessa led to the identification of the suspect that started the manhunt operation leading to the arrest of Berulazo.
A case of Robbery with Homicide was prepared by the police against Bertulazo since the personal belongings of the victim were lost that included: Samsung Galaxy Note III; Apple Ipod Mini; Pocket Wifi; Wristwatch costing Php 22,000; Cash amounting to Php 30,000, HKD 3,000; and a black Back Pack. (PNA)