Victim’s mom blames drugs for Caloocan twin murders

MANILA, Philippines - The mother of a nine-year-old girl, murdered by their neighbor along with her 15-year-old cousin last week in Caloocan City, said yesterday she blames illegal drugs for the crime.

Analyn Coronado, 41, said her family and that of Gilbert Fulloso, 25, nicknamed Berto, were “good neighbors.” Fulloso admitted killing Analyn’s daughter Joanna Marie Coronado and niece Diana Rose Liza.

“Berto and Diana were friends. They were neighbors for more than two years but the night of the murder Berto was seen drinking and may be he was high on drugs, It’s the drugs,” Analyn said.

“Every time my sister left their house, she would request Aling Leonor (Fulloso’s mother) to watch over Diana,” she added.

She said that before her younger sister, Aiza Morado, went home to Iloilo to attend the burial of her husband, she went to Fulloso’s mother, telling her to look after Liza while she was away.

Diana was living with Morado at a rented house adjacent to that of the suspect in Barangay 12, Caloocan City when she was murdered on Nov. 25 with Joanna, kept her company while their aunt was away. Joanna’s house is located two blocks away from that of Dianna.

Fulloso admitted killing the girls, claiming he was not in his right mind because he was very drunk and high on marijuana.

He said that he only happened to pass by the girls’ house and saw the door was open. He said he went into the house to tell them the door was open but the girls became hysterical upon seeing him. He said he grabbed a knife from the kitchen and stabbed the girls to stop them from shouting.

Fulloso escaped to Albay after the incident but was arrested four days later.

According to Analyn, Fulloso’s mother told her that if indeed her son killed the girls “he must answer for his crime.”

The respective families of the victims have yet to schedule the date for the victims’ burial.

Residents of Barangay 12, requesting anonymity, said illegal drugs proliferate in their village.

Roxas cites cops for suspect’s arrest

Meanwhile, Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II said yesterday he is proud of the Philippine National Police (PNP) for Fulloso’s immediate arrest.

“Swift justice is possible in the country, especially for poor victims,” he said. “As I said last Thursday, our PNP will leave no stone unturned in the manhunt against the suspect and will bring him to justice as soon as possible. This is the dedication and excellent intelligence work that makes us all proud of our police officers, who deserve our highest commendation.”

Roxas said what happened to the victims was unfortunate but the arrest of Fulloso could somehow ease the pain of their family’s loss.

He went to the victims’ wake and promised Liza’s parents monetary support to help defray funeral expenses and bring her body back to Zamboanga Sibugay by using the military’s C-130 plane.

Reports from the PNP National Capital Region Police Office said hours after the killing, Fulloso boarded a bus in Pasay City bound for Legaspi, Albay and arrived there at 7 a.m. the following day. He initially stayed in the house of an aunt, Lilibeth Corporal Picudo, in Barangay Cotnogan.

He was later sighted in the house of his grandfather, a ceryain “Papay June,” in Villa Patrona, Libon town in Albay on Nov. 27 but returned later in the day to Cotnogan. The following day, relatives reportedly facilitated his transfer to his grandmother’s house in the mountains of San Pedro, Iriga City, where lawmen finally caught up with him.