ILOILO City – A suspect in the killing of an Ilonggo overseas worker in South Korea in 2016 has been arrested.
According to the family of 34-year-old Angelo Claveria of Cabatuan, Iloilo, the suspect was arrested by operatives of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Candaba, Pampanga on April 3.
Yugoslav Magtoto was also an overseas Filipino worker (OWF) and colleague of Claveria at a water purifier plant in the city of Hwaseong, Gyeonggi province, South Korea.
The Claveria family learned of the arrest from the office of former Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence Go who has been following the case on behalf of the family.
Claveria, a Marine Transportation graduate, went to South Korea in July 2014 to work as a metal cutter. He went missing in January 2016.
He skeletal remains were found April last year inside a septic tank of the water purifier plant where he worked.
“We are gratified. At least may development ang kaso,” said Mary Mae Claveria, younger sister of the slain OFW.
Claveria’s skeletal remains were buried June last year in Cabatuan after these were repatriated.
Family members plan to go to the NBI central office in Metro Manila, said Mary Mae, to know further from the suspect the circumstances leading to Claveria’s death.
The suspect is currently in the NBI’s custody and may likely be turned over to South Korean authorities as the crime happened there.
“Amina na lang sala mo. I-tudlo kon sin-o pa ang mga imaw mo nga naghimu kon may imaw ka gid man,” Mary Mae suggested to the suspect.
According to Claveria’s mother Angelita, her son actually wanted to look for another job.
During a brief vacation in 2015, he promised to work doubly hard in South Korea so he could finally finish their house’s renovation, according to Angelita.
Claveria took a short one-month vacation to Cabatuan in September 2015. He returned to South Korea the following month and had not communicated to his family since January 2016.
Angelita said the last time she was able to talk to her son was on Christmas eve of 2015.
He had not mentioned any problem during his brief vacation, the mother said.
She described her son as “waay gamo nga bata (not a trouble-maker).”/PN
