Suspect in Tocmo’s killing arrested

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu City police have arrested and identified one of the suspects behind the death of Rhea Mae Tocmo, the girl who was killed and stuffed in a cardboard box and dumped in sitio Mohon 1, Barangay Tisa, Cebu City.

Person of interest named Simeon Cabutero, 22, was arrested after he was reported by a concern citizen.

Cabutero was arrested on Saturday, July 29, in sitio Sampaguita, Barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City, two days before Tocmo was buried in Cagayan de Oro City.

The police found out that Cabutero was the man who sold Tocmo's cell phone through the help of the community after they spread his picture on social media. Cabutero was also positively identified by the person who bought the cellphone.

During CCPO's interrogation, Cabutero confessed that alias “Insik” ordered him to sell the victim's cellphone.

The police shown Cabutero a picture of one of those previously arrested by the police to confirm if the man whom he meant as alias “Insik.”

On Sunday, the City Intelligence Unit (CIU) of the Cebu City Police Office conducted a buy-bust operation in sitio Kabulakan, Barangay Guadalupe and arrested Roberto Hisman Gabison, 41, who was previously arrested by the police.

The CCPO compared Gabison and the picture in the rogues’ gallery that was shown to Cabutero and found out that they are the same person and apart from this Cabutero also positively identified him.

“Gipangutana pud nato ning katong atoang positively identified (Cabutero) kay Insik nganong naabot sa iyaha ang cellphone kay allegedly gihatag daw ni ni Insik sa iyaha ug gipabaligya, gibaligya niya July 16 at around ala 1 gihatag ni sa a certain Insik sa iyaha nga gipabaligya mao to naabot sa iyaha ang possession sa cellphone ni Rhea Mae,” said Lt. Col. Rafter.

When asked why Rhea Mae's cell phone arrived in China, Rafter said that this is a big issue for them.

Gabison is considered one of the suspects because Cabutero pointed out that he was last seen with Rhea Mae before she was found dead.

“Nganong naabot sa iyahang ang cellphone isa pa sa sulbarunon nato ug siya ang katapusan asa napaigngon si Rhea Mae kay siya ang katapusang nga nakit-an nga buhi pa ang atong biktima, mao na ato siya i-consider nga isa gyud siya, may kalambigitan gyud siya sa pagkamatay ni Rhea Mae Tocmo”, said Lt. Col. Janette Rafter, deputy director for operations at CCPO.

But Gabison, who was interviewed by the investigators, denied that he knew Tocmo.

“Impossible kaayo na istoryaha…Ako involved ko angkonon ko na kanang parte anang drugs pero kanang bayhana wala gyud ko ana kay wala sad gyud, nganong mabuhat pa man nako magbinuang sa akong asawa nga ang akong asawa maoy nagbuhi nako…Wala ko kaila anang bayhana, nakadungog sa balita, pero wala koy kalibutan anang mga ingong ana,” said Gabison.

The CCPO said there may be another suspect in the crime but they described the case of Tocmo is about to be solved. — (FREEMAN)