QCPD files charges vs BIR official, helper’s killer

MANILA, Philippines —  Charges of murder and robbery were filed against a man tagged in the killing of retired Bureau of Internal Revenue commissioner Elvira Rivera and her housemaid Mary Jane Laurente last month, according to the Quezon City Police District.

QCPD chief Brig. Gen. Randy Glenn Silvio said the complaints were filed against the 36-year-old suspect, identified only as Yousouf, before the city prosecutor’s office yesterday.

Silvio said Yousouf is the husband of Rivera’s niece.

The suspect was identified by the QCPD special investigation task group through closed-circuit television footage, digital transactions, testimonies of witnesses and other pieces of evidence.

Investigators obtained a breakthrough when Yousouf made a cash transaction using a cellphone at a self-service kiosk in a pharmacy in Novaliches.

“This case demonstrates the commitment of the QCPD to pursue every lead, maximize the use of forensic and technological evidence and ensure that those responsible for heinous crimes are held accountable before the law,” Silvio said in a statement.

Rivera and her 52-year-old housemaid were found dead with multiple stab wounds at their residence in Barangay North Fairview on June 15.

Investigators found Rivera’s house in disarray and her jewelry and cellphones missing.

To evade pursuers, the suspect allegedly used several transportation modes and changed clothes multiple times.