MANILA, Philippines - Police are filing homicide charges today against the prime suspect in the killing of a tabloid reporter in Antipolo City, Rizal.
Jeffrey Montes, 21, will be charged before the Rizal prosecutor’s office, said Superintendent Rodino Elfa, Antipolo City police chief.
Elfa said Montes, a member of the Sputnik gang, has owned up to the killing of Edwin Perez, 54, a reporter of the tabloid People’s Balita.
Senior Superintendent Rolando Anduyan, Rizal police director, said another suspect, Benedicto Leco, 18, would be charged with robbery. Leco and a 16-year-old out-of-school youth were arrested hours after the killing of Perez.
Anduyan said the 16-year-old teenager opted to be a state witness in the case.
Perez was on his way home when he decided to stop by a bakery to wait for the heavy downpour to subside. He dozed off and was roused from his sleep when five teenagers tried to steal his motorcycle key and wallet. He fought back and was stabbed by Montes in the process.