Suspect in serial killing nabbed after three years

After almost three years in hiding, a man wanted for a series of murder was finally captured last night at a government hospital while recuperating from stab wounds suffered in a brawl.

Pio Picardal, 27, was wanted for the murder of 69-year-old Benjamin Zape.

Police records showed Picardal allegedly fled after fatally stabbing Zape, his guardian and benefactor, on New Year’s Day of 2004.

The victim’s family refused to give up the hunt for Picardal, until they learned that he was confined at Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center in Manila recuperating from stab wounds.

Zape’s sister sought the assistance of SPO2 Virgo Villareal, the night shift officer-in-charge of the Manila Police District’s homicide department.

Villareal retrieved the records of the case that included an arrest warrant issued by Judge Reynaldo Alhambra of Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 53.

Villareal then proceeded to the hospital and arrested Picardal, who had been positively identified by witnesses as the killer.

Picardal admitted to the killing and told the police how he managed to evade arrest for nearly three years by hiding in remote provinces.

Villareal said there were reports that the suspect is also wanted for other unrelated killings. He is now coordinating with the local police force in the provinces to check if he is also wanted there.

Villareal, who earned the monicker "Criminal Hunter" for his string of arrests of wanted criminals, said the suspect is now under heavy guard in his hospital room.

The victim’s relatives commended Villareal for his immediate response. — Nestor Etolle