A hooded armed man barged into the residence of a wealthy Filipino-Chinese businessman, killed a housemaid and held hostage a lady accountant for 17 hours before escaping with P800,000 ransom in Sampaloc, Manila.
The fatality was identified as Estrella Bitancor, 23, housemaid of Enrique Reyes of 1108 Cristobal St., Sampaloc.
Bitancor’s body was discovered inside a white plastic bag that was placed in a carton box. Her face was wrapped with a plastic sheet and apparently died of suffocation
Reyes’ daughter Jennifer, 25, an accountant, said she arrived at the family house at around 11:30 p.m. last Wednesday and found a hooded man with a knife inside.
She was hogtied by the suspect and used her cellular telephone to contact her father who was then on a business trip in Naga City.
The suspect demanded P5 million in exchange for Jennifer’s release, but the ransom money was later reduced to P800,000.
Reyes immediately came home and he was instructed by the suspect to bring the money at the garage of their house in Sampaloc.
The suspect ordered Reyes to pick up a large box inside the garage and drive away and wait for his text message before he returns to his house.
After more than 30 minutes, Reyes was instructed by the suspect to return to the house where he found his daughter unharmed. The suspect had also fled with the ransom money, two cellular phones and a portable play station.
Reyes said he later opened the box and found the body of his maid. – Nestor Etolle