Nurse nabbed for call center executive's murder

MANILA, Philippines - A nurse-midwife was arrested by operatives of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) for the murder of a call center official, whose body she left behind in an abandoned vehicle in Valenzuela City last Aug. 10.

Geralyn Galinea, 27, who works at the Manila Health Department, admitted her role in the killing of Antonio Ma. Mendoza Tan Jr. but said her husband, Lucky, planned it. Lucky remains at large.

NCRPO chief Director Roberto Rosales said Tan and Lucky worked at the E-Telecare Global Center in Makati City. Tan was the anti-fraud director of the call center firm.

Rosales said Lucky borrowed P70,000 from Tan and allegedly embezzled money from the firm.

A day before he was found dead inside his car at McArthur Highway in Barangay Marulas, Valenzuela City, Tan was invited by the Galinea couple to their house in Malolos City, Bulacan for a round of lambanog, a local wine.

The couple also told Tan they would pay their debt and the money Lucky took from the firm.

Galinea said she left the two men drinking and when she returned, Lucky hit Tan on the head with a bottle.

“My husband told me that Tan wanted to have sex with him which angered me and we took turns stabbing him,” Galinea told Chief Inspector Rene de Jesus, of the NCRPO’s regional intelligence division.

Neighbors said they saw Lucky was perspiring and not his normal self when he drove Tan’s car and left. Tan’s body was recovered in his red Toyota Vios (XKS-838) in Valenzuela City last Aug. 10. He sustained multiple stab wounds.

After 60 days of no progress in the investigation of the incident, Tan’s relatives sought the help of Rosales, who ordered De Jesus to work on the case.                        – Non Alqutiran