DNA test shows more than 1 killer in Bulacan massacre, Ibañes raped victim — police

Police investigators have confirmed that massacre suspect Carmelino "Miling" Ibañes had raped one of the five victims of the San Jose del Monte, Bulacan slays, and that he was not alone in carrying out the crime. 

"Based on findings of forensic exams, talagang itong si Miling, talagang na-consummate niya ang pag rape kay Estrella [Dizon]," said Bulacan provincial police director Sr. Supt. Romeo Caramat III during a press conference at the Regional Police Office 3 headquarters at Camp Olivas in Pampanga. 

Apart from 28-year-old Estrella, also killed in the massacre were her 58-year-old mother Auring Dizon; and Estrella's three children, Donnie, 11; Ella, 7; and Dexter Jr., 1.

Caramat said DNA sample in the vaginal swab taken from Estrella matched with the DNA sample taken from Ibañes.

As for Auring, investigators failed to find any other person's DNA in her, leading the police to believe there was no "penetration" in her case.

Supt. Fitz Macariola, San Jose Del Monte City police chief, however, clarified: "It is not penetration alone that will dictate na mayroon rape. Nakita naman po natin ang victims, nakahubad sila. Even the touching of labia or some parts of vagina can be considered rape."

"At this point we cannot say that Auring was not raped. We cannot say for sure din na she was really raped. But the indication that Auring is naked... it could be both of them were raped," he added.

Macariola, meanwhile, said DNA profiles of "persons of interest" (POIs) in the massacre were not found at the crime scene.

"But it does not exclude them [from becoming suspects just because of] the result of the DNA [test] alone," Macariola said.

More than 1 killer

Crime laboratory technicians, according to Caramat, found that four of the five victims were killed using the same knife, while the fifth victim — Donnie — was stabbed using another knife.

"Meaning to say, two or more ang nag-perpetrate ng krimen dahil ang na-recover na knife, apat lang po na DNA profile ang nag-match. Nag-negative doon sa isang victim na 11 years old, si Donnie. Meaning to say, ibang knife ang ginamit kay Donnie," he said.

Asked why police believed there could be other perpetrators when only Ibañes' DNA was found at the crime scene, Macariola said: "They're contact with the victims is not really intense na sila ay magalusan... so that the DNA profile of that person can be taken from the victim."

Dexter Carlos

Caramat said despite the DNA test results pinning Ibañes, police would still investigate Estrella's husband Dexter Carlos, who was the first to discover the bodies.

"It is a standard operating procedure that the person who discovered the crime should be investigated and asked," said the police official.

"Pero malayo sa katotohanan na itong si Dexter Carlos ay magiging suspect. We just want to put on record para ma-establish ang kinaroroonan niya when the crime was perpetrated," he added.

Colleagues of Carlos at work have already submitted their sworn statements to prove he was with them at the time of the killings. "The possibility that he is really there [on duty] is very likely," said Macariola.

Ibañes, 26, was earlier arrested and confessed to the crime, initially claiming he was under the influence of alcohol and drugs when he committed the killings.

Ibañes' drug test, however, came out negative. The suspect initially admitted to raping Auring and Estrella before stabbing them to death. He would later drop the rape admission in his extrajudicial confession. — with Anna Felicia Bajo/MDM, GMA News