Cops call for kin to name motel slay victims

Police showed the media yesterday clothes and other personal belongings of two women slain and burned in separate Manila motels in an effort to identify the victims.

One week after the killings, which occurred over the weekend, relatives of the two victims have yet to claim their bodies at the Popular Funeral Homes in Sta. Cruz, Manila.

“We are puzzled why until now no one has come forward to claim the bodies of the victims. This is unusual since relatives of missing persons will start to look for them two or three days they fail to come home,” Chief Inspector Dominador Arevalo Jr., who heads the homicide section of the Manila Police District, told reporters yesterday.

Arevalo hopes their relatives could identify them by their belongings.

The first victim, who was burned alive in the Sweet Hotel in Sta. Cruz Friday morning, had red short pants, a pair of brown shoes, a white blouse that bore the name “Norma L” and an orange t-shirt. She was described to be between 60 and 65 years old and at least 5’2” tall.

The second victim, who was already dead due to a head wound inflicted by a blunt instrument, had denim pants with a pink belt, a yellow top, a brown handkerchief, and a black bag. She was described as about 30 years old, slim and with long hair. Her face was partially burned when she was found inside a room at the Happy Hotel in Quiapo last Sunday.

Police suspect only one man killed both women after the sketches of the suspects in the two hotel slayings were found to be identical. “If only we can talk with relatives of the victims, then we can start from there with our investigation. We are still at a loss why these victims have to suffer gruesome deaths,” Arevalo said.  – Nestor Etolle