Househelp charged for death of German, wife

Taskforce Malinka, which was created by Bohol Governor Erico Aumentado to look into the killing of German national Helmut Malinka and his wife, yesterday filed robbery with double homicide complaint against the couple’s househelp before the Bohol Provincial Prosecutor’s Office.

Bohol Provincial Police director Edgardo Ingking, who is also the taskforce head, said they filed the complaint against Virginia Saluta based on circumstantial evidence, including her failure to pass the lie detector test.

"Our evidence are circumstantial in nature, pero I believe we have a strong case against Saluta" Ingking said.

Saluta, who was placed under protective custody at Camp Francisco Dagohoy, was considered by the taskforce as the main suspect in the killing for allegedly conniving with two unidentified robbers.

Saluta was the househelp of Malinka, 65, and his wife Eutiquia, 59, who were killed last Friday inside their residence in barangay Laya, Baclayon.

Malinka, a retired airline maintenance engineer, and Eutiquia have been married for 35 years but bore no children. They had been residing in barangay Laya for the past four years.

Ingking said Saluta and two other househelps underwent a lie detector test, but only Saluta failed.

Taskforce Malinka is composed of operatives from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, National Bureau of Investigation, Bohol Provincial Police Office and the Baclayon Police station.

"Kadudahan sab kaayo siya (Saluta) kay ang iyang gigamit nga duster nagkadugo unya dali kaayo siya naka illis. Unya ni claimed siya nga giapil siya og gapos ang kamot ug tiil pero walay markings makita," Ingking said.

Saluta’s bloodstained duster was forwarded to the Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory in Manila for further examination.

Ingking said there were no signs of force entry into Malinka’s residence.

"Amo sab giapil og kuha ang specimen sa German Shepherd sa biktima kay nagduda sab mi nga gihiloan maong wala gyud makapaghot ang iro which is very unusual," Ingking added.

Despite the filing of the case, Ingking said Saluta still refused to divulge her accomplices.

Helmut sustained three gunshots wound in the head and eight stab wounds in the chest while Eutiquia sustained two fatal stab wounds in the neck and chest. Helmut was hogtied in both hands and legs.

Baclayon Mayor Benecio Uy yesterday said there was no travel advisory issued by the German consular office preventing its nationals to enter Baclayon, which is once of the tourist destinations in Bohol.

Uy said Hans Gunther Schoot, a German national based in Baclayon, assured him that no travel advisory would be issued. Schoof had been declared an adopted son of Baclayon by the local government. — Ramil V. Ayuman/LPM