Girl arrested for business exec’s killing

MANILA, Philippines - A 15-year-old girl was arrested yesterday in connection with the murder of a business executive in a motel room in Pasig City Monday.

The girl, a third year high school student, admitted to frequently meeting Roberto Apuyan, 57, at the Pitang Suite motel, but denied killing him, Pasig police chief Senior Superintendent Mario Rariza said.

The girl said her boyfriend, Elton Juan, 21; and his companion, alias Pangit, may have had a hand in Apuyan’s murder. Rariza said a six-man police team is hunting down Juan and Pangit, who are both from Marikina City.

“We are eyeing the robbery angle in the death of Apuyan,” said Rariza, noting that the victim’s wallet and cell phone are missing.

He said the girl, Juan and Pangit arrived at the motel hours after Apuyan checked into his room on the third floor. Juan and Pangit checked into a third-floor room while the girl went straight to Apuyan’s room.

Sometime later, the girl sent a text message for them to go home at around 2 a.m. Pangit told them to go home without him, Rariza added, noting that Pangit joined them later.

The body of Apuyan, plant manager of Friction Materials Inc., was found several hours later after a room boy and a security guard opened his room with a duplicate key. He had been stabbed six times in the neck and once in the chest.

Rariza said they would file appropriate charges against the teenager with the Pasig City prosecutor’s office yesterday.