La Union slay suspect falls after another heist

BAUANG, La Union, Philippines – A man suspected of robbing and killing with 68 stab wounds a female employee of a cable television company here last Saturday was caught after robbing another woman who owns a neighborhood store that same day. 

Vice Mayor Bonifacio Malinao told The STAR that the suspect, Julius Federico, was cornered by residents after he ransacked a mini-grocery store.

Federico earlier had robbed and killed Michelle Cabading, 29, customers’ service officer of Umili Cable TV. 

Malinao, quoting the police investigation, said Cabading suffered a total of 68 stab wounds in different parts of the body, as she apparently “fought for her life.”

Investigation showed that Federico barged into the cable TV company’s office at the second floor of the RBBI building in Central East at around 3 p.m. Saturday. 

The crime was discovered barely 30 minutes after Danilo Hidalgo, the cable TV firm’s technician, went inside their office and found Cabading bloodied on the floor. 

Malinao said Federico initially owned up to the crime but in the succeeding interrogation, said he could not recall what he had done because he was drunk.

Malinao said police have three witnesses who tagged Federico as Cabading’s attacker.

Malinao said the municipal government has put a P80,000 reward – P30,000 from him and P50,000 from Mayor Martin de Guzman – to help solve the crime.