Pineda holds suspect’s computer-generated image. Photo by Ric Gonzales
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – The provincial government has offered a P200,000 reward money for the arrest an alleged serial rapist and robber who had victimized at least 17 dentists, two of whom are from Pampanga and nearby Bulacan.
Gov. Lilia “Baby” Pineda made the announcement on Wednesday at the emergency meeting of the Pampanga chapter of the Philippine Dental Association (PDA) with the police following the release of the suspect’s photo.
He was identified as one Alex Veltran of Barangay Sta. Lucia, Sta, Ana town.
Provincial police Senior Supt. Edgardo Tinio said “the suspect uses many names and we have yet to identify his real name.”
Tinio said Veltran could not be a Capampangan based on the investigation of the police. He reportedly robbed a female dentist of some P40,000 and tried to rape her at her clinic in Barangay Sto. Domingo, Mexico last June 23.
“The suspect was speaking in Capampangan when he was robbing the victim. But it doesn’t mean he is from here,” said Tinio after the presentation of the suspect’s photo to journalists, Pineda and PDA officials Dr. Oppen Viudez and Dr. Jocelyn Manabat of this city.
Tinio said “there is no need to be alarmed but residents, notably dentists, should be vigilant.”
He said the suspect could also be behind the series of rape and robbery of 15 dentists from various clinics in Metro Manila. He added that he had been identified by his latest victims from the gallery of photos provided by the police.
Police Supt. Jhoanna Ponseca-Rosales, chief of the police community relations branch of the Pampanga Police Office (PPO), organized a series of meetings and seminars last month to warn dentists of the suspect’s modus operandi.
Unfortunately, the victim from Mexico was operated on and could not attend one of the seminars conducted before the suspect attacked her clinic last June, it was learned.
Tinio said the victim had pleaded to the suspect to spare her from being raped due to her operation. The suspect believed her and just left after robbing her.
