Cops nab teacher’s killer

A 47-year-old driver was arrested by police less than 12 hours after he allegedly robbed and stabbed to death a 37-year-old Manila public school teacher inside her house in Sta. Cruz, Manila last Wednesday.

Manila Police District (MPD) Homicide Section chief Senior Inspector Dominador Arevalo Jr. presented to the media yesterday Rolando Garcia, prime suspect in the killing of Ann Margarette Bonaobra, a teacher of the Mariano Marcos High School in Sta. Ana, Manila.

Garcia was arrested at his residence by the homicide section’s follow-up unit, led by SPO1 Richard Lumbad, after he was identified by the victim’s stepmother.

Garcia, a long-time friend of the victim’s stepmother, allegedly went to see Bonaobra at 10:30 a.m. to borrow money.

Failing to talk with her, the suspect vented his ire on the stepmother and tied her to a chair with a face towel. He threatened to kill the stepmother unless the teacher sees him.

At this juncture, the victim came out of her room on her way to work. The suspect suddenly lunged at the victim and hit her.

The suspect then pulled out a knife and repeatedly stabbed her in the face and neck. He also took the victim’s handbag and backpack containing cash and a cellular phone.

Before leaving the house, the suspect untied the stepmother and told her to look outside to make sure there were no people on the street. Then he casually left the house.

The victim was rushed at the Chinese General Hospital where she died while undergoing treatment.

The suspect was packing his belongings when the arresting team arrived at his house in Sampaloc.

He told police that he threw the victim’s belongings into the Pasig River from the MacArthur bridge on his way to his residence.

The suspect could not say what prompted him to kill the teacher. Murder charges have been filed against him.

MPD Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (CIDU) chief Superintendent Rolando Miranda commended Arevalo and his men for the swift solution of the case.