Brods tagged in telecom executive's slay surrender

MANILA, Philippines –  Two brothers who allegedly killed a telecommunications firm supervisor in Sta. Ana, Manila on Jan. 30 surrendered yesterday.

Accompanied by their mother, the two brothers – one aged 18, the other 16 – were turned over to the homicide section of the Manila Police District after surrendering to retired colonel Franklin Gacutan at the Manila City Hall.

The two brothers were the subjects of a police manhunt for several days for the rob-slay of Albert Clarence Bondoc, 31, a supervisor of Smart Communications, Inc., whose naked body was discovered inside his studio-type unit at the third floor of a residential building in San Andres Bukid.

Police have released the photos of the brothers together with the victim taken by an automatic camera hours before the crime.

In an interview with The STAR, the elder brother claimed the killing was a result of a scuffle after he woke up and found his younger brother allegedly being molested by Bondoc, who was holding a knife. His younger brother remained silent throughout the interview.

The elder brother said Bondoc invited him to his residence Saturday night purportedly to meet a call center manager who will interview him. He said he had just met the victim, who offered to find him a job. He said he took along his younger brother with him since it was the first time he will be at a stranger’s house at night. He also denied allegations that he and his brother are sex workers.

Upon arriving at the house, the elder brother said Bondoc told them the manager who will interview him had already left. He said they had some drinks and took some pictures. After drinking, he said he fell asleep. He woke up and saw the victim allegedly molesting his brother at knifepoint.

“I was able to seize the knife from (the victim) and used it to stab him repeatedly, out of fury, after he stabbed me on my right leg,” the elder brother said.

The elder brother denied taking any valuables from the victim’s room, saying they were trembling in fear.

Police said the victim’s IPod, digital camera and laptop were missing from his room. Homicide section chief Inspector Armando Macaraeg said he will summon the policemen from the Sta. Ana police station, who were the first to arrive at the scene, and ask them to bring the inventory of the things recovered inside the victim’s room.

Murder charges are set to be filed against the brothers.