Three men allegedly responsible for the killing of a 21-year-old female student in General Santos City were arrested in separate buy-bust operations.

It can be recalled that the victim’s family found her lifeless on her bed on December 8, 2025.

On Friday, December 12, four men were arrested in separate sting operations, and investigators learned that three of them were the primary suspects in the killing of the student.

“Ang atung tulo ka primay suspek mao ang nadakpan sa atung buy bust operation nga gi-launch sa atung Regional Drug Enforcement Unit and of course ang atung General Santos City. So it found out nga ang tulo  natu nga persons of interest, sa pagsugod pa sa insidente,” General Santos City Police Office (GSCPO) Director, Col. Nicomedes Olaivar Jr., said.

One of the suspects arrested claimed that he only accompanied the two other suspects after being told there was a “sideline” or job opportunity.

“Ana si…nga  uban ta, ingun ko unsa man, naa miy raket naa miy tirahon. Nisabay ko sir eh, kay huna huna nako  trabaho. Mao tu pag-abot didto sir, deretso didto,” one of the suspects identified as alias “Joe” said.

Joel said he did not expect that he would be used as a lookout during the crime. He claimed he was instructed to stay outside the house and keep watch.

“Giingnan ko nila nga dira lang ka. Siyempre didto lang ko sa gawas sir.  Wala ko nag expect nga mao diay ilang target didto.  Ana lang isa bantayi lang diya...bantay ko sir,” Joel added.

Joel said he then heard the victim screaming and later saw her being stabbed and strangled.

“Taod taod misinggit naman ang babae sir, lili ko sir, mao tung gidunggab ni…sa wala pa ni misinggit, miingon ang babae ayaw kuya, ihatag daw niya tanan…unya mao tu nihilum kadali. Pagtan-aw nako gituok. Taod-taod misinggit siya itug-an ta ka kay mommy,” Joel said.

The suspect also claimed that he received P800 as his share of the money taken from the victim’s house.

GMA Regional TV One Mindanao tried to reach out to other suspects arrested for a statement, but they are undergoing inquest proceedings, as of this writing.

The other suspect arrested identified earlier as alias “Dodong” also claimed that he was only delivering pet food upon the instruction of the victim’s mother.

“Igo ra nako gihatag sa iyaha ang gisugo sa iyang mama unya nilakaw na pud ko pa highway,” Dodong said.

Joel hoped that other suspects would own up to the crime and not deny responsibility.

“Dili ko kadawat nga balihun nila sir. Nagtug-an na gane ko sir…para matagaan na og hustisya unya balihun pa nila dili ko musugot ana sir,” Joel said.

Aside from charges for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act (RA 9165), the three suspects will also face murder charges.