Cops arrest suspect in killing of Kabacan couple, daughter

KABACAN, North Cotabato - Police here announced Tuesday the arrest of a man believed to have participated in the murder of a family of three on Sunday.Senior Insp. Ronnie Cordero, Kabacan police chief, identified the suspect as Roberto Cabrera Gracia, 52, relatives of victims Roger Gracia, 47 (not Garcia as reported earlier), Milcha Nicanor Gracia, 49 and daughter Danny Anne Gracia, 14, all residents of Barangay Aringgay, Kabacan, North Cotabato.Cordero said Roberto was arrested Monday noonby police operatives in the house ofhis brother inBarangay Osias, also in Kabacan. Roberto lives in Barangay Dagupan, Kabacan. Cordero said a witness claimed that the scarf recovered by police at the crime scene was owned and used by Roberto. Police raiding team members also seized from Roberto a mobile phone. Cordero said the gadget will be subjected to examination tohelp investigators in solving the crime.He said the messages and call history are important to determine Roberto's participation, if any. On Tuesday, police subjected Roberto to paraffin test if he has traces ofgun powder.Cordero said scene of the crime operatives lifted finger prints at the crime scene which will be compared to Roberto's.He said if fingerprints matched, Roberto will be charged accordingly. Cordero said investigation showed that before the massacre, victim Micha Gracia reported to police that Roberto abandoned his child in Gracia home.She decided to put it on police record. The incident was also reported to the town's social welfare office in Kabacan town hall.As to why the Gracia family was murdered, police remained uncertain as of yet but family feud was among the angles cops are looking into.