Briton wanted for Boracay massacre claims innocence

"This has got to stop."

This was the appeal made yesterday by a British national who cried foul over reports of his alleged participation in the gruesome quadruple murder case that shocked the island of Boracay last May 2.

Patrick Higgs, 42, claimed innocence in the killings of three foreigners and a Filipina maid, pointing out that neither the Philippine National Police (PNP) nor the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has filed formal charges against him and a German suspect.

Higgs talked to The STAR to "set the record straight" regarding the events that surrounded the murders of Anton Faustenhauser, owner of the villa where the crime took place; Hong Kong gallery owner Manfred Schoeni, Hong Kong-based British architect John James Cowperthwaite, and housemaid Erma Sarmiento.

"There is nothing being leveled against me by the PNP and nothing from the NBI as far as we know, and there’s no formal evidence against me," said Higgs, a bar owner in Boracay and close friend of Faustenhauser’s.

He cried foul over allegations that he was the "mastermind" of the murders. "I’m just here to set the record straight. I have nothing to hide."

Higgs, who has been living in Boracay for the past eight years, said the local police initially were talking to him about the progress of the case, but have stopped recently amid reports that he could have been involved in the crime.

Higgs has reportedly been placed under the immigration watchlist. He said the police have been "checking" on his "whereabouts."

"That dialogue (between myself and the police on the investigation) has stopped in the last three days and it has become increasingly hard to contact them," said Higgs, who showed The STAR his immigration documents attesting to his being a legal alien, and papers from the Securities and Exchange Commission to belie reports that he and Faustenhauser were business partners, which could have prompted a supposed motive for the crime.

Chief Superintendent George Aliño, Western Visayas police chief, earlier said Higgs and another Briton identified as Keith Redfurn have been summoned for questioning to shed light on the incident.

German national Uwe Friezel was earlier charged as the primary accused in the murders. Also indicted for robbery with homicide were Chito Catalogo and three other John Does.

But Higgs defended Friezel, 37, saying he was a "decent fellow" who was also Faustenhauser’s close friend.

"Anton was his (Friezel’s) friend. He worked without a payment, not a caretaker and not permanently employed by Anton. He was just a good, trusted, loyal friend who helped Anton for no money, so there was no motive," Higgs told The STAR.

Like himself, Higgs said Friezel had been a friend of Faustenhauser’s for four to five years now.

Friezel is set to issue his side in a press statement, he said.

Higgs said he and Friezel are willing to submit their DNA specimens to investigators, but only if the PNP gives them a copy of every DNA found at the crime scene and a copy of the police information.

"He (Friezel) assisted the PNP with every single thing they asked for and he’s even prepared to give his DNA specimen once they (police) give the DNA they have, so that they cannot pollute it (DNA from Friezel and himself)," explained Higgs, who was accompanied by his lawyer.

Higgs described Catalogo, who is said to be in his 20s, as Faustenhauser’s "treasured worker."

"He (Faustenhauser) really cared about (Chito). He never laid the boy off even when Anton did not have money. Anton always talked about Chito, what a good worker he was," Higgs said.

Higgs and Friezel were with the police inside Faustenhauser’s villa to identify the bodies after the murders were discovered.

Higgs said Faustenhauser’s wife became alarmed when she could not get in touch with her husband and called German national Jurgen Schartzle, who was also in Boracay, to check on him.

Schartzle went with Friezel to Faustenhauser’s villa and discovered his body. Friezel informed Higgs of the incident and who, in turn, called the police.

To prove his innocence, Higgs said he took the polygraph test in the Boracay police station and "passed this with flying colors."

"We are all willing to take it. And these are the people who are being looked at as the suspects, and the suspects are assisting with everything that they ask for and more. That’s very strange for someone who has carried four murders," Higgs said wryly.

The PNP, he said, wanted him to "assist extensively for the next three days" after the murders. "I was called every single time they found something, knew something, opened something. They wanted a witness and I was basically their state witness by the prosecution against whoever they will prosecute," he said.

Higgs said he could not understand why his name is being dragged into the murders.

"We have gone through this whole process and now sadly, I have no idea why people are saying terrible things about Anton’s wife, about me," he said.

In the interview, Higgs denied that he and Faustenhauser’s wife were having an affair.

"(It is) disgusting because it is not fair to the woman who had just lost her husband," he said.

Higgs, who is single, has a Filipina girlfriend.

He also denounced the "chismis" (rumors) going around Boracay because of this.

He also said it was not accurate to say that some P2 million in cash was lost in the crime, saying it was more around P200,000 worth of "values and stolen goods."

Higgs also denied knowing Redfurn, the other suspect said to be a Briton, saying he just "came out of nowhere."

"He (Redfurn) is a complete stranger to all of us," Higgs said as he raised suspicions why Redfurn came out three-and-a-half weeks after the murders took place.

Higgs said Schoeni was also a friend of Faustenhauser’s, whom he met only casually on two or three occasions.

He said he did not know Cowperthwaite much since it was his first time to go to Boracay at the time.

"There’s too much gossip going on in Boracay from people who do not know what’s going on," said Higgs.

Higgs said friends have started to "distance" themselves from him after his name was dragged into the incident.

"Virtually, I’ve lost (ground) in business and lost friends over this. These people are now ignoring me because they feel there must be something, like when there’s no smoke without fire," he said, lamenting that no one has attempted to talk to him about it.

But in spite of this, he said he will not leave the Philippines, especially Boracay. "I would never want to leave this place. I’m happy here."

Higgs said he is mulling on taking legal action but refused to divulge details. "We do have certain things that we want retracted in fairness to the deceased and also to the damages done to myself and the other people of Boracay," he said.