Facebook helps crack Philippines murder case

MANILA - Philippine police said Wednesday Facebook helped crack a murder case against a Filipino man suspected to have killed nine people, including three foreigners.

Police Senior Inspector Joel Mariano said at least two witnesses were able to positively identify the suspect through his Facebook account as the person they saw at the crime scene.

“Facebook helped us in getting positive identification of the suspect from some of the witnesses,” he said. “I think we have a solid case against the suspect.”

Mark Dizon, a 28-year-old computer technician, was arrested Tuesday in San Fernando City in La Union province, 225 km north of Manila, according to Mariano.

Dizon’s father lured him to a meeting in a public area in San Fernando where police arrested him, he added.

The suspect allegedly killed six Filipinos, an American, a Canadian and a British man in Angeles City in the nearby province of Pampanga in the past two weeks.

The suspect, who comes from a rich family in Pampanga, denied the accusations.

The killing spree started July 12 when Canadian Geoffrey Allan Bennun, 60, and his Filipino girlfriend were shot to death in a hotel room.

On July 16, Briton James Bolton Porter, 51, and his girlfriend were killed by a gunman inside their home.

Last week, US citizen Albert Mitchell, 70, his wife and three Filipino domestic helpers, were killed inside their house.

Police said a close-circuit television camera from a pawnshop in Angeles City showed the suspect carrying possessions including a laptop computer from one of his victims.

A security guard also identified Dizon as the man he saw leaving Mitchell’s house on the night of the killing.

Investigators said the suspect allegedly used the same pistol in the killings.