By EUGENE ADIONG
BACOLOD City — The suspects in the death of overseas Filipino worker Maribel Alpas have been identified and charged, but the Alpas family can barely grasp justice.
Suspects Roginald Samson alias “Jojo,” Elcielo Valdez and a John Doe remain at large, Alpas’ sister, Josebel, said.
She said the identified suspects did not appear during arraignment on May 6. “They sent through their lawyers a request for postponement instead.”
Charged with murder before the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office in Cabanatuan City were Dennis Samson, Alpas’ employer; his brother, Roginald; his brother-in-law, Valdez; and a John Doe.
Nueva Ecija police have produced more witnesses from Sta. Rosa town, where Alpas was last seen, Josebel said. Another hearing was scheduled on May 20, she added.
Alpas, a native of Brgy. Asia, Hinobaan, Negros Occidental, had been decapitated in Nueva Ecija in March.
Her head was found in a bucket in an irrigation canal in Brgy. San Fernando Sur, Cabiao town, on March 25, while her body was found burned inside the Samson family compound in Brgy. Gomez, Sta. Rosa.
Alpas had been working as babysitter for the Filipino couple Dennis and Girlie Samson, both working as nurses in London.
At the time she was killed, Alpas was supposed to go back to London after a vacation in Hinobaan since December last year.
Senior Insp. Eric de Venancio, Cabiao police chief, had said the murder of Alpas could be a crime of passion or drug-related.
Investigators found documents owned by Alpas inside a septic-tank pipe and drug paraphernalia inside the Samsons’ house.
Roginald Samson is a known drug pusher and user in the village, de Venancio said.
Police were still trying to identify and search the John Doe, who could have driven the vehicle that fetched Alpas from the airport upon arriving from Negros on March 20./PN
