Police arrest house help of slain Dutch national

Cebu - The house help of the slain Dutch national in Carcar City was arrested at Pier 3, Cebu City while he was waiting to board a ship bound for Maasin, Southern Leyte yesterday afternoon.

Armando Navarro Lapiña, 39, became a suspect after he reportedly disappeared following the death of 90-year-old Antonio Henrikus Lubki. Lubki was found with three stab wounds in his house in barangay Liboron, Carcar early dawn the other day.

The recovery of Lubki’s ATM card from Lapiña triggered suspicions that robbery might have been the motive of the killing but police said they are not closing their doors to other angles.

Investigation revealed that Lapiña has been helping Lubki around the house for quite sometime already, nevertheless, he was not staying at the victim’s residence.

Lapiña is now detained at the Carcar City Police Station.

Aside from Lapiña, police have also placed under custody a certain Cecile Pobrero, the girlfriend of Lubki’s lesbian sister-in-law. Pobrero was reportedly the one who took care of Lubki after her relationship with the latter’s sister-in-law had turned sour.

SPO3 Jonas Pananganan of the Carcar police said signs of struggle were evident at the crime scene considering that Lubki’s bed was reportedly in disarray when he was found by Michael Cabungkal, the nephew of his late wife.

Police also discovered that the back gate of Lubki’s residence was destroyed. They said the suspect might have used it as entry and exit point.

“Tan-aw namo naa ju’y sign of struggle ang kamatayon sa biktima kay nangabungkag man ang mga habol sa iyang katre.” Pananganan said. — Christopher Gabriel Bonjoc/JMO  (THE FREEMAN)