Authorities retrieve the bodies of Jiovanni and Mechelle Capangpangan from inside a jewelry repair shop which the couple owns in Barangay Poblacion, Lapu-Lapu City. | Contributed photo via Paul Lauro
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Two lifeless bodies were retrieved by the police from inside a jewelry repair shop at around 12 noon today, February 20, in what authorities believed was another crime of passion.
Mechelle Capangpangan, 38, and her husband Jiovanni Capangpangan, 45, were found by relatives sprawled on the floor of their jewelry repair shop located at 315 Punta Rizal Street, Barangay Poblacion, Lapu-Lapu City.
Police Staff Sergeant Lester Alvario, desk officer of Lapu-Lapu Police Station 3, said that based on their initial investigation, it was the husband who killed his wife through strangulation. After killing his wife, Jiovanni presumably took a chemical substance that caused his death.
The police said that the sister of Jiovanni informed them that the couple had been frequently quarreling as of late because the wife reportedly wanted a separation.
The bodies were found by Jiovanni’s sister, Eva Patalinghug who went to the shop after being informed by the couple’s children that their parents have not returned home for days.
The couple and their kids reside in Poblacion Occidental, Consolacion town, northern Cebu.
Eva also told the police that days before the gruesome find, one of the couple’s children asked for her help because the couple was fighting again.
She added that on Thursday, February 18, another child called her that their parents were not at home. The next day, Friday, Eva went to the shop to check on the couple but it was locked. So she just assumed that they already went home.
However, on Saturday when she learned that Jiovanni and Mechele still haven’t returned home, she decided to go back to the shop and noticed that the air conditioner inside the establishment was still on. She then asked for help and forcibly opened the door at the back of the shop.
Alvaro said that the bodies were already in their decomposing state when found and foul smell filled the shop.
A suicide note believed to be written by Jiovanni was also found which read: “Mga anak, mao ni ang tubag sa tanan. Kuyug ko sa inyo mama, pasaylo-a ko.” /rcg