Older brother of homicide victim arrested

After the body of a 71-year-old man was found dead at the Garapan Fishing Base in Kristo Rai last Thursday, an arrest warrant was issued and carried out yesterday for the victim’s older brother, with charges of second-degree murder, voluntary manslaughter, aggravated assault and battery, and assault with a dangerous weapon.

In an update from the Department of Public Safety yesterday, Moses Pangelinan Cabrera, 78, the older brother of now identified homicide victim Pedro Pangelinan Cabrera, 71, was arrested at his residence in San Jose yesterday afternoon, and is currently detained at the Department of Corrections on a $250,000 cash bail.

The arrest warrant was issued by Superior Court Associate Judge Teresa Kim-Tenorio earlier that morning, two days after the body of Pedro Cabrera was found lifeless at the Garapan Fishing Base.

During a press conference last Friday, DPS Commissioner Anthony Macaranas shared that the younger Cabrera’s body had been discovered late Thursday afternoon after a resident called in a man that was unusually lying on the rocks at the Garapan Fishing Base. Police arrived at the scene at around 5:07pm.

Macaranas shared that DPS investigation has reason to believe that Cabrera’s home was where the murder took place, and the fishing base merely where the guilty party dropped the body. Macaranas said that there had been severe trauma on Cabrera’s face, appearing to have been caused by a blunt object and divulged just how severe the blows were, noting that it was hard to identify Cabrera at first, but officers were soon able to because of a recognizable tattoo on the victim’s arm, which two persons, including one family member. “… we’re waiting for an autopsy to determine the actual cause of death.”

Unlike the misinformation spread, Macaranas confirmed that the body had not been in any stage of decomposition. He confirmed that the homicide had happened within the day it had been reported. “…it has not shown any kind of decomposition or rigor mortis,” he said. As to the precise time of death, Macaranas said “that will be determined by the autopsy…”

On the same day of the discovery, two persons of interest were questioned, one of which, now is known as older brother Moses Pangelinan Cabrera. Macaranas shared that both persons of interest had conflicting testimonies, indicating the other person was likely responsible for the death. “We came across the people there that were at the crime scene, and eventually they were interviewed, and both persons gave an inconsistent statement.”

Macaranas shared that both persons of interest had been placed under custody of DOC, arrested after having separate charges unrelated to the homicide to their name. He shared that police are currently investigating whether or not nearby business surveillance was able to catch sight of anything. “I cannot confirm that because the investigators have not informed me about any [of those] findings.”

“We’re working to piece all the evidence together from witnesses to surveillance footage and others that will lead us to corroborate this case,” Macaranas said.

“I also like to ask that any people, any persons who are within the vicinity of the fishing bay, fishing base between 12:30pm to 5pm., to please come forward with information if you’ve seen any unusual activity that happened at that area.”

The DPS-Criminal Investigation Bureau can be reached at (670) 664-9042. If you wish to remain anonymous, call the Crime Stoppers hotline at (670) 234-7272.

A bail hearing is currently pending for Cabrera and more information will be provided by DPS today.

Macaranas also shared that the deceased had been a former inmate of the Department of Corrections. And according to several files, Pedro Cabrera was convicted of second-degree murder of a police officer in 1984. In 2000, during his parole, he faced charges of kidnapping, raping a minor, and assaulting someone with a dangerous weapon.