Cops eye hatred in murder of 4 relatives

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

 

BACOLOD City – Police here are eyeing hatred behind the murder of four relatives at Gardenville Subdivision, Barangay Tangub here yesterday.

Police identified the victims as Jocelyn Nombre, 59; her sister Gemma Espinosa, 69; their nephew John Michael Espinosa, 35; and his 6-year-old daughter.

Police Major Joery Puerto, head of Police Station 8, said Nombre’s husband, who is a seaman, called his sister and requested her to check their house since he could not reach his wife for three days.

Nombre’s sister then requested for police assistance before proceeding to the house where the decomposing bodies of the victims were found.

Puerto said the bodies of Nombre and John Michael were found outside their house wrapped in blankets, while the latter’s daughter was found lying on the sofa, and Nombre’s elder sister was found in a hut at the back of their residence.

“Siguro two to three days na sila na patay,” he added.

Puerto said all victims may have been hit by a hard object on their heads that probably caused their death. He said they have not seen any other injuries on their bodies because they were already in the advance state of decomposition.

Puerto said they already have a person of interest, whom he claimed to be a relative of one of the victims.

“Grabe gid ni ang hatred or grudges sang tawo nga naghimo sini, tungod pirmi daw siya ginabuyayaw,” he added.

Puerto said there was no forcible entry at the house and no valuables were reported missing.

“Indi man ni massacre, more on gin panglampusan ni sila sa ulo,” he added.

He said that the perpetrator may face multiple murder charges.

As of 5 pm Wednesday, a person of interest in the murder of four persons here was placed in police custody for investigation.

Puerto said they transported the man from Don Salvador Benedicto town to the city after they received information linking him to the crime.

Puerto said while the man denied the accusations against him, they noted inconsistencies in his statement.

He said police recovered from the person sachets of suspected shabu.

Cops are also looking for another person of interest in the crime.

The man is working in the said town and was reported to have returned home Wednesday after going to Bacolod last Sunday.

Meanwhile, Police Brigadier General Rolando Miranda, director of Police Regional Office (PRO)-6, has ordered Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) director Police Colonel Manuel Placido to immediately solve the murder case of the family.

“Dapat managot ang sinumang may kagagawan ng karumal-dumal na krimen na ito,” Miranda said.