Reah Mae Tocmo’s killer said he did it out of jealousy

Gabutero

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Simeon Gabutero, the construction worker who confessed to killing his girlfriend, Reah Mae Tocmo, said he did it out of jealousy and anger about the money that he has been sending her.

Police Major Angelito Valleser, chief of Labangon Police Station, told reporters on Thursday, August 10, that Gabutero admitted that on Sunday, July 16, he agreed to meet Tocmo, for the first time in his boarding house in Guadalupe at around 6:00 a.m.

The suspect claimed that they have been in a long-distance relationship since December 5 last year.

READ: Reah Mae Tocmo case: Murder charges to be filed vs Simeon Gabutero

Valleser said that minutes after Tocmo’s arrival, the suspect snapped at her because he found out that she had many Facebook accounts and messages from other men.

The two were alone in the house because the suspect had earlier asked his parents and sibling to leave because he has a visitor.

However, Gabutero told police that Tocmo only laughed at his outburst which made him more upset.

Valleser said that a teary-eyed Gabutero told him that out of his P400 daily wage as a construction worker, he has been sending money to Tocmo since the day they became a couple.

Furthermore, during the conversation, Gabutero found drug paraphernalia in Tocmo’s bag which made him even angrier because he felt that instead of using his hard-earned money for her studies, the girl was using it for other unnecessary matters.

Gabutero claimed to have suddenly lost control and ended up squeezing Tocmo’s neck.

“Matod pa niya, nasip-itan niya ang liog ni Reah. Wa na siya kahibaw nga niabot diay sa punto nga namatay ni si Reah,” he said.

Gabutero also said that Tocmo did not scream during their scuffle and only held on to his hand to resist.

Valleser stated that Tocmo’s friend who goes by the name “Jewel Smith” said that Tocmo was drinking moments before the incident which could explain why she was not able to fully resist the attack.

READ: Reah Mae Tocmo’s friend, Jewel Smith, denies knowledge on killing

Another reason why Gabutero claimed caused his anger was because Tocmo did not inform him that she was already in Cebu.

“Pero matod pa niya, wala siyay kalibutan nga si Reah Mae Tocmo, niana sa Cebu. Usa pud na sa iyang gikasuk-an nga nganong wa siya pahibaw-a nga naa diay siya sa Cebu,” said Valleser.

After learning that the girl was dead, Gabutero said that he wrapped her in a blanket he got from a hotel he used to work at and tied her up with pieces of garter and shoestring.

After putting her inside a cardboard box, the suspect then transported the body with the help of another person using his motorcycle.

Confused about what to do next, Gabutero told police he dumped the body in an area in Barangay Tisa which has overgrown grass, said Valleser.

Gabutero, however, denied burning the face of the victim during the incident.

Police Colonel Ireneo Dalogdog, chief of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), disclosed that after consulting with the medico-legal officer who did the autopsy on Tocmo’s body, there is a possibility that the burnt marks were caused by the decomposition as she has been dead for more than 24 hours.

Distraught over what happened, Gabutero told Valleser that he regretted what he did and is ready to face the consequences for killing Tocmo.

Dalogdog added that Gabutero will be facing a murder charge.  /rcg

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