2 suspects in Iloilo trader slay fall

MANILA, Philippines - More than a month after the incident, two suspects in the rape and killing of businesswoman Clare Nueros in Oton in Iloilo province were arrested over the weekend. Online news site The News Today reported that police operatives arrested Saturday Benigno "Bentot" Segumban and Roy Somcio at their houses. The two were residing at a house in the same village as the subdivision where Nueros' house is located. Segumban was a caretaker in Savannah subdivision. Charmaine Larupay, Nueros' helper who survived the assault, identified the suspects as their attackers. Recovered at Segumban's house were evidence including a cal-.45 pistol licensed to Nueros' husband Michael, a homemade cal-.38 revolver with rounds of ammunition, two blue jackets and a pair of camouflage pants with bloodstains. Also recovered from Somcio were two homemade 12-gauge shotguns, 11 rounds of shotgun ammunition and six rounds of ammunition for an M-16 armalite rifle. Segumban implicated his younger brother Severio and nephew Severino Sangrador to the killing of Nueros. He told police that he only served as lookout when the crime was committed. Sangrador turned out to be a security guard of Savannah subdivision under the Elegance Security Agency. He has not reported back to work since Nueros' death. Nueros, who ran a photocopier business in downtown Iloilo and a small-scale money lending business, was attacked at her house around 8 p.m. on August 3. Masked suspects gained entry through the kitchen door. They tied the hands of Nueros and her helper Larupay then placed them in separate rooms. Larupay was left unhurt while Nueros was killed. Investigators said the suspects stole Nueros' laptop, two cell phones, pieces of jewelry and an undetermined amount of cash. An autopsy conducted by the medico-legal officer of the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) showed that Nueros was positive for spermatozoa and that her genitalia had lacerations, meaning she was raped. - GMANews.TV