Model's murder in Olongapo solved - police

OLONGAPO CITY, Philippines - Police on Monday said it has solved the March 13 killing of model Scarlet Garcia and her three companions after investigators recovered a pistol from two men arrested in San Fernando, Pampanga, on April 4. Police said slugs from the gun found at the crime scene in Olongapo City matched with the slugs from the gun recovered in Pampanga. Olongapo City Police chief Abelardo Villacorta said witnesses identified the suspected killers as Jay-Ar Perez Mojica and Ferdinand Cadenas. They were arrested in Pampanga in a separate robbery case. "Three pistols were recovered...one .45 caliber Charles Daly pistol, a CZ74 9mm pistol and a 9mm Bernardelli PO18SGardone VT," Villacorta said, adding that slugs from the 9mm Bernardelli matched with the slugs found in the crime scene in Olongapo. He said ballistics investigations made by the PNP crime laboratory sealed the case. George Castor Sr, father of one of the victims, welcomed the arrest of the suspects. "Nagpapasamat ako sa lahat. Ngayon din kasi ang ika-one month ng pagpatay. Sana mahuli silang lahat para matahimik na kami at si George (I thank everybody. It's one month already since the killing. I hope that all the suspects will be arrested)," Castor Sr said. "We will be filing the cases this afternoon, as such we consider the case solved," Villacorta said on Monday. He said "Task Force Scarlet" will continue its work until the mastermind of the killing is arrested. Police formed "Task Force Scarlet" to look into the killing of model Scarlet Garcia. The task force is composed of elements from the Olongapo City Police, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and several other units of the National Police. - John Bayarong, GMANews.TV