“Johnrey Castino Arrested in Killing of College Teacher in Binalbagan”

Johnrey Castino, one of the three suspects in the murder of a college teacher in Binalbagan, Negros Occidental, has been arrested by the police. Castino denies participating in the stabbing of the victim and points to another suspect, Jonathan Santila, as the one responsible. The police have obtained CCTV footage and recovered a knife from the crime scene. All three suspects are on the station’s drug watchlist and will face murder charges. By Teresa D. Ellera reported

Johnrey Castino, one of the three individuals implicated in the murder of a college teacher in Binalbagan, has been apprehended by the police.

The suspect, identified as 19-year-old Johnrey Castino and a resident of Binalbagan, Negros Occidental, was taken into custody following an investigation by the local authorities.

In a media interview, Castino named the other two suspects as Jonathan Santila and John Paolo Fernandez.

However, he denied any involvement in the fatal stabbing of the victim, Tony Lazaga, a 51-year-old teacher at Binalbagan Catholic College in Bacolod City.

Castino claimed that it was Santila who carried out the stabbing, stating that their original intention was to rob the teacher as they followed him to his boarding house in Barangay San Pedro.

According to Castino, the victim fought back, leading to Santila stabbing him. Castino admitted to being intoxicated during the incident but denied using illegal drugs. He alleged that Santila and Fernandez had possession of the victim’s mobile phone and wallet, which contained P300.

Police Major Randy Babor, the chief of Binalbagan municipal police, asserted that Castino played a direct role in the teacher’s killing.

Babor also mentioned that CCTV footage from the area captured the three suspects confronting Lazaga, potentially indicating a robbery attempt.

A post-mortem examination revealed that Lazaga sustained 16 stab wounds throughout his body, along with wounds on his hands, indicating his resistance against the attackers.

A knife believed to be used in the stabbing was recovered at the crime scene, although Babor stated that the suspects also utilized a pair of scissors, which are currently being searched for.

An investigation into the suspects’ backgrounds revealed that they are not associated with any organized robbery group, but all three individuals are on the police’s drug watchlist.

Castino will undergo a drug test to determine if he was under the influence of illegal substances at the time of the incident.

The three suspects, including Castino, are now facing murder charges.

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