Son, Girl Held in Murder of Filipino, Faking of Motive : No Evidence of a Marcos Link Found

The 17-year-old son of a slain Filipino-American newspaper executive and the youth’s 18-year-old girlfriend have been arrested in the slaying and accused of writing a political death threat to cover up the crime, Glendale police said today.

The death Wednesday of Oscar Salvatierra, found shot to death in the bedroom of his Glendale home, prompted an international political outcry because the victim worked for the Philippine News, a San Francisco-based weekly paper that has bitterly opposed President Ferdinand E. Marcos. Salvatierra had received a death threat attacking the paper’s politics the day before he was shot dead.

But Glendale Police Chief David J. Thompson told a crowded press conference this morning that the investigation “has discovered no evidence whatever” to support “widespread speculation that Mr. Salvatierra’s death was politically motivated by pro-Marcos supporters.”

The mailed death threat, Thompson said, “was used by the individuals to hide their identity and involvement.”

‘Domestic Violence’

“We believe, from the evidence available, that Mr. Salvatierra’s death was the result of domestic violence within the home and committed by his 17-year-old son,” the police chief added.

Salvatierra’s son, Arnel, a senior at Glendale High School, and Teressa Kay Deburger, whom police described as his accomplice, were arrested Thursday evening on suspicion of homicide.

“The only motive that we can determine at this particular time is a longstanding hatred by the son for his father,” Thompson said.

Thompson said the department had received and corroborated information from an “informant” that enabled it to break the case. “We do have strong evidence, including the murder weapon, to support probable cause for this arrest,” he said.

Not a Leading Activist

Salvatierra, 41, headed the Los Angeles office of the Philippine News for the past 10 months and was its marketing director. A naturalized U.S. citizen, he had been in this country since the mid-1960s and was a certified public accountant. Despite the political stance of the paper, he was not in the forefront of anti-Marcos activities in Los Angeles and reportedly had asked a co-worker, “Why me?” after receiving the letter.

Philippine opposition leader Corazon Aquino on Thursday hailed Salvatierra as a martyr, and several members of Congress had pointed to the killing as an act of political terrorism.

Deburger was arrested about 7 p.m. Thursday outside a friend’s home, and Salvatierra’s son was arrested at the family home about 10 p.m., Thompson said.

Deburger is being held at Glendale Jail while the son is detained at Juvenile Hall in Eastlake. Charges will be filed against both Monday, Thompson said.

FBI to Quit Case

Thompson said police believed that the mailed death threats received Tuesday by Salvatierra and a co-worker “were made and sent by the two parties we have arrested.”

An FBI spokesman said that, with the exception of “some details we need to take care of,” the bureau is pulling out of the case now that police say there are no political overtones.

At Glendale High School, teachers and administrators reacted with shock to news of the arrests.

“My heart hurts,” said Kathy Fraser, a teacher who had taught both students.

Principal Samuel Harvey described both students as “pretty quiet kids.”