MANILA - Why did the taxi driver who was allegedly robbed by ex-UP student Carl Arnaiz last August 18 give two conflicting statements on the robbery? Metro Manila's police chief has an explanation.

In his initial affidavit on August 18, cab driver Tomas Marleo Bagcal said the alleged robbery happened in the vicinity of the barangay hall of Barangay 128 in Caloocan at 3 a.m.

He said he sought help from a "group of men" who introduced themselves as police. The men then chased "suspects", the affidavit stated.

In his second affidavit on August 29, Bagcal changed his statement and said the robbery happened along C-3 Road at 3:20 a.m.

The taxi driver also changed his statement and said police only chased "one suspect."

Bagcal also said in his first affidavit that he could not identify the face of the assailant; but in his second affidavit said it was a man wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, black cap, maong short pants, slippers, and a bag.

The description matched the clothes worn by Arnaiz after he was found in a morgue. Arnaiz's parents have denied their son was involved in robbery, noting their son was wearing clothes that were a size too big when he was found.

• 'Demons killed my son'

According to National Capital Region Police Office chief Director Oscar Albayalde, there is not much discrepancy on the time element in the two affidavits.

Asked why the cab driver gave two different locations on where the robbery occurred, he said: "I really don’t know that time that his statement was first taken because he was a victim of hold-up and just a few minutes ago a gun was pointed on his head, so probably that confused him a bit."

The Metro Manila police chief said the lack of details on the face of the assailant in Bagcal's first affidavit could be because he was still distressed at the time when the first affidavit was accomplished.

The first affidavit was submitted on August 18, the same day that Arnaiz was allegedly shot by police in a shootout.

An Inquirer report said the second affidavit was done on August 29.

"Probably during the first time, nung nakatutok yung baril sa’yo you probably would not get the exact time, the features of that person. Probably, you could not memorize yung mukha nung tao," Albayalde said.

"But then on the second time, he was able to see the cadaver and the cadaver after 10 days was really identified by the parents, so probably at that time he was able to recall everything," he added.

The police chief said authorities need to talk to Bagcal again who is currently not at home. "It’s because media practitioners, they swarm the house. Probably, nagpahinga muna siya," he said.

He also questioned why Arnaiz and a companion, 14-year-old Reynaldo De Guzman, would leave their homes before midnight on August 17 to buy snacks. De Guzman has also turned up dead, stabbed 30 times and his face packed with tape.

• Reynaldo sinaksak sa puso, baga: autopsy

"Why would he leave his home at midnight, past 12, or early morning? What would he do in Navotas? Where will they go with this 14-year-old boy? That's quite, you know...If you are a father yourself and your child wanted to go out early morning, you would probably ask questions. You would probably be suspicious where he would be going," he said.

The Metro Manila police chief also took note that Arnaiz tested positive for gunpowder nitrate after a paraffin test.

• Arnaiz positive for gunpowder nitrate: PNP Crime Lab

"How would Carl be positive on gunpowder nitrates, if you plant (evidence)? It’s really hard to get gunpowder nitrates, burnt gunpowder and put it in the hands of somebody," he said.

Public Attorney's Office forensic exports who conducted an autopsy on Arnaiz's body found that the teenager sustained 5 gunshot wounds --3 to the mid chest area , 1 on the left side, and another 1 on his upper back.

There were also possible signs of torture, the autopsy report revealed, including handcuff marks on the teenager's wrist and deep scratches, indicating that he was dragged.

Arnaiz's death drew comparisons to what happened to 17-year-old Kian Delos Santos, who was killed during an anti-drug operation in Caloocan City.