"Rapist-killer" falls

CEBU, Philippines - A junkshop worker who went into hiding after allegedly raping and killing the female servant of his employer last Thursday evening was arrested in a mountain barangay in Asturias town last Friday evening.

Remelito Serognas, 25, a native Manguaio, Asturias town was arrested by the Investigative and Detective Management Bureau of the Mandaue City Police Office and the police in the town.

Seventeen-year-old Rowena Rodrigo, who worked for couple Alvin and Jocelyn Abayan, suffered head injuries and was bathed in blood when found by the couple at 7 a.m. last Friday.

Serognas worked in the couple’s junkshop in barangay Basak, Mandaue City.

Rodrigo was from barangay Taba-aw in Tabogon town and was on her fourth day with the Abayan family when killed.

The police found her clothes pulled up and her underwear pulled down to her legs.

A blood-stained sledge hammer was found near the crime scene.  

SPO1 Kerwin Bejer of the IDMB said the Abayan couple accompanied the police to Asturias where Serognas was arrested.

Bejer said that when they arrived in Asturias town last Friday afternoon, they immediately sought the assistance of the town police.

According to Bejer, when the police arrived at the place, they immediately went to the suspect’s aunt where he used to live with but the aunt told them Serognas was not home at the moment and that he was visiting another aunt who lives in another barangay.

But while walking, they saw Serognas drinking rice wine (tuba) along the roadside.

Bejer said when Serognas saw the police, he surrendered to them.

Serognas admitted to the crime while being interrogated at the Asturias police.

He said that after the rape he killed her because the girl allegedly told him that she would tell their employers about the rape.

He said he took a sledge hammer and hit her once on the head and saw her quiver.

He said he hit her again on the head.

Serognas is detained at the Basak Police station pending the filing of charges against him.