A YOUNG man was arrested several hours after he robbed and stabbed an elderly man at the vicinity of a Catholic cemetery in Barangay 5, Silay City, Negros Occidental on Thursday.
Collared was Christian Ponce, 22, of Guinsang-an 1, Barangay Hawaiian.
Superintendent Noel Polines, city police chief, said Ponce was arrested in a hot pursuit operation at his house at 10:15 p.m. after a witness surfaced and told the police about his conversation with victim Rolly Saragoza, 66, before the incident.
Ponce was also identified through his social media account.
Police recovered from Ponce a 12-inch kitchen knife he used in the crime, but he threw the victim’s wallet in a river.
Ponce bought a cigarette at the victim’s sari-sari store around 11 a.m. He then stabbed Saragoza and carted away his wallet containing P1,300.
Saragoza sustained multiple stab wounds and was brought to Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital in Bacolod City.
Ponce said it was really his intention to rob the victim because he needed money to pay for his debt. He knew the victim after working at the cemetery for four months.
Polines said robbery with frustrated homicide charges will be filed against Ponce, who is detained at the station.
