THE killing of a 16-year-old student from Pines City National High School (PCNHS) in December 2016 allegedly over online gaming has been declared closed by police.
Baguio City Police Office city director Chief Superintendent Ramil Saculles said the lone suspect, a 17-year-old fellow student, was arrested on April 11 this year at Queen of Peace, Baguio City, on charges of robbery and homicide and is now detained at the Social Development Center (SDC), in Balenben, Irisa.
Superintendent Johnson Smith Abellera served the arrest warrant on the minor.
The warrant, issued by Judge Mia Joy Oallares-Cawed of Regional Trial Court Branch 4, was for robbery with homicide. No bail was recommended.
The police chief said both the victim and the suspect are known for frequently playing games in computer shops in the area. The victim allegedly incurred debts to be able to play his favorite computer game.
Saculles said the suspect initially wanted to just steal the cellphone of the victim, whom he knew and played with in the past, but ended up killing his friend who sustained at least 40 stab wounds.
The suspect is now under the care of SDC Bahay Pag-asa, a 24-hour child-caring institution established, funded and managed by local government units and licensed or accredited non-government organizations.
It also provides short-term residential care for children in conflict with law, who are above 15 but below 18 years of age, and who are awaiting court disposition of their cases or transfer to other agencies for jurisdiction.
