The man who surrendered after killing seven people inside a bakery in Antipolo City had treated the victims to a drinking session before committing the crime at their workplace on his birthday on Tuesday, April 22, police said on Wednesday.
The suspect, alias “Bogart,” co-owner of the bakery in Barangay Cupang, Antipolo City, told police that he killed the victims, two of them minors, because they were plotting to kill him following a dispute over the bakery’s ownership.
In an interview with the media after his surrender, Bogart said he had an argument with one of the victims, who was the master baker of the bakery and his business partner, as the latter allegedly wanted to keep the business for himself.
“Pinagbantaan kasi nila ako na papatayin nila ako gamit ‘yung unan para pagdating ng asawa ko bukas papalabasin nilang binangungot ako. Narinig ko nag-usap sila, dalawa kasi kami magkasosyo sa bakery, tapos lahat ng trabahante namin halos lahat kamag-anak niya, kumbaga pinagkaisahan nila ako. Kung mapatay ako, sa kanya na mapunta ang business namin, kaya inunahan ko na sila,” Bogart said.
Police investigation revealed that Bogart first treated the victims to a drinking session since it was his birthday. He said he started to have a feeling about their plan to murder him once he got drunk.
This prompted him to stab them to death during their sleep using a kitchen knife.
The suspect said the victims tried to fight back during his attack but failed to do so as they were unarmed and it was dark during that time.
The police, however, doubted Bogart’s story, saying that the latter’s motive was too shallow for him to slaughter the victims.
The suspect also remained unharmed despite saying that he was ganged up by the victims during his rampage.
“Hindi kami makukuntento dun na siya lang ang salarin. Possibly, may kasamahan din siya, titingnan natin yan. Hindi na tayo makuntento sa version mismo ng suspek kundi ano ba masasabi ng ebidensya na magagather natin,” Rizal Police Provincial Office (Rizal PPO) director Col. Felipe Maraggun said.
Police said the victims’ remains are undergoing autopsy while investigators are looking for CCTV footages that may help them in their investigation. (Patrick Garcia)
