Cops face blank wall in Pavia murder

By: Jennifer P. Rendon

POLICE are still facing a blank wall on the murder of a 22-year-old woman in Pavia, Iloilo.

Police Captain Fernand Limbungan, Pavia police chief, said they have not made any breakthrough that could identify Eira Jane Fabiaña’s killer.

On July 25, 2019, a second case conference was conducted by members of a special investigation task group (SITG) created to solve the murder.

But it appeared that the circumstantial and forensic evidences gathered are not enough to pinpoint the motive and suspect/s.

“If we could ascertain a possible motive, identification of suspect would have been easier,” Limbungan said.

He added that they already talked to family members, co-workers, and friends but investigators said they found nothing to help the probe.

“But our investigation is still going on. We will do everything we can until this case is solved,” Limbungan said.

Last week, the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) said it could only not publicly provide information on the ongoing investigation relative to Fabiaña’s death.

Police Colonel Marlon Tayaba, Iloilo police chief, is confident that mobilizing other units to conduct investigation would give them better chances of identifying the assailant.

Initial probe showed that Fabiaña had sustained six injuries after her head was struck with a hard object.

Fabiaña’s body was discovered by her older brother around 4:45 a.m. of July 17 at the family’s home in Purok IV, Pavia, Iloilo.

The victim, an assistant manager of a fastfood chain, was found on top of her bed with blood oozing from her head.

The victim was half naked when found.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Hilarion Roga, chief of the Regional Crime Laboratory’s scene of the crime operatives (SOCO) team, said they saw no signs of forcible entry in the crime scene.

Not a single fingerprint was also lifted from the crime scene. They, however, took some hair strands.

“It appeared that she was struck forcefully on the back of her head,” he said.