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Mark Dizon (center), a suspect in the gruesome murders of nine people, three of them foreigners, is escorted by policemen and Mayor Ed Pamintuan (left) out of the detention center for a medical check-up at police headquarters in Angeles City, Pampanga, on Wednesday. AFP PHOTO

Senior Supt. Danilo Bautista, Angeles City police director, said they are set to file separate case of illegal possession of firearms against Dizon in San
Fernando, La Union where he was arrested. Dizon allegedly brought with him a 22mm gun when nabbed on Tuesday.

In a press conference held Wednesday, Chief Supt. Arturo Cacdac, Central Luzon police director, told reporters that the initial five counts of murder raps filed against the suspect pertained only to the killing of retired United States Air Force Master Sgt. Albert Mitchell, 70, his mother Janet, 53, and their maids Marissa Prado, Yulberto Catli and Isabel Fajardo at their residence in Hensonville Court subdivision in Barangay Malabañas on July 22.

Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan of Angeles City said that his friend Rey Malig, an official of a citizen’s crime watch group, has convinced Dizon’s parents to meet local officials yesterday for their son’s arrest.

Malig said that Dizon “wants to surrender to Pamintuan” fearing policemen would kill him.

For his part, Pamintuan said that the recent massacre cases here are considered “solved” with the arrest of Dizon.

Police officials and the mayor presented to the media at least three laptop computers, various mobile phones, video cameras and expensive perfume reportedly under Dizon’s possession.

Cacdac and Bautista also said that they are trying to investigate if the suspect had secured high-powered guns, possibly under the possession of other people.

Citing various testimonies of witnesses, Cacdac said that the recovered gadgets and equipment from Dizon’s possession, the 9mm pistol used in all the murders identified him as the alleged “serial killer” in two other earlier murders.

Witnesses initially identified Dizon as the murderer through his Facebook account, where police found out that a daughter of one of the victims was an former girlfriend.

“He had an account on Facebook and two witnesses positively identified him,” Bautista told Agence France Presse.

“We have an airtight case against him. I believe it is ironclad,” he added.

He said Dizon apparently closed his Facebook account after sensing police were on his heels, but two witnesses had already positively identified him using his profile picture.
WITH REPORT FROM AFP