ATM card leads probers to suspect in killing of fashion designer Kenneth Chua

Investigators are now looking at an employee of murdered celebrity fashion designer Kenneth Chua as the prime suspect in the crime.

A report on GMA News' “24 Oras” on Wednesday said the police traced Chua's stolen ATM card to Rogelio Aquiat, the master cutter in Chua's shop in Makati City.

Aquiat was identified after a CCTV footage of a bank in Camarin, Caloocan, caught him withdrawing from an ATM machine using the victim's card.

“Nung time na nag-withdraw ay nakunan ang taong ito,” said Senior Superintendent Manuel Lukban Jr., chief of the Makati City Police, in the report.



“Walang ibang tao na nag-withdraw sa ATM booth na iyon at the time ng transaction kung hindi itong taong ito,” he added, referring to Aquiat.

The report said investigators contacted the bank after they found out that Chua's cellphone, wallet and ATM card were missing.

The "24 Oras" report said Aquiat had denied involvement in the crime.

Chua's brutalized body was found by his parents inside the restroom of his shop in Barangay Palanan in Makati on Tuesday morning. His hands were tied and his body had several stab wounds. His neck was also slashed.

Lukban said Chua had a large bruise on his face.

“Merong plansta na masasabing nasira ang handle. At ang plansta na ito ay puno ng dugo so may possibility na ang plantsa rin ito ay nagamit sa pag-commit ng crime,” he said.

Initial findings showed there were no signs of forced entry in Chua's shop, indicating the victim knew his killers.

Authorities believe the crime was committed by at least two people.

Chua's wake was at the La Funeraria Paz in Sucat, Parañaque City. — Andrei Medina/KBK, GMA News