NBI: Murder of boy from Cordova solved after 5 years

National Bureau of Investigation’s (NBI-7) Mandaue District Office | Mary Rose Sagarino

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The 2017 murder of a 17-year-old boy from Cordova town has been solved with the filing of a murder complaint against the suspects in the killing.

Supervising Agent Arnel Pura of the National Bureau of Investigation-Mandaue District Office (NBI-Mandaue District Office) said that they had filed the murder complaint against the principal suspect, Markjun Ponce and two of his alleged accomplices in the killing of the minor.

Pura said that Ponce was detained at the Lapu-Lapu City Jail for another case of murder.

He also said that they had also secured a witness, who would testify against the suspects in the killing of the minor.

Pura said that the NBI-Mandaue District Office handled the investigation of the case after the victim’s sister filed a complaint at the NBI office.

According to the NBI-Mandaue District Office in a statement, Ponce allegedly killed the boy over an earlier altercation.

Ponce, who allegedly was a leader of a local gang in Lapu-Lapu City, allegedly stabbed the boy and hit his head with a rock. 

The NBI, who was described the suspect as a “drug-crazed” suspect, buried the dead boy in knee-deep pit in a secluded area in Sitio Bunga, Barangay Agus in Lapu-Lapu City.

According to the NBI in the statement, that the victim and the suspect were neighbors in Cordova town.

Pura, for his part, also said that there were a lot of witnesses to the killing, but Ponce allegedly threatened them and that they would suffer the same fate as the victim if they would tell what happened to authorities.

Pura also said that the killing was only solved after they started the investigation on November last year.

They then got information about where the boy was buried and got a witness, who would testify against the suspect in the killing of the minor.

Meanwhile, the National Bureau of Investigation in Central Visayas (NBI-7) has officially opened its Mandaue District Office on Monday, January 17, 2021. The NBI’s district office located at the back of the Mandaue City Cultural and Sports Complex is the first in Cebu Island.

The district office initially opened on September 27, 2021.

READ: NBI opens Mandaue District Office

Lawyer Renan Oliva, NBI-7 Director, said their personnel can extend assistance in implementing peace and order to policemen in the city and other parts of Cebu. 

They also offer investigative and technical services such as cybercrime, forensic or medico-legal, DNA test, polygraphic test, question documents, NBI clearance, among others.

Aside from Mandaue City, the district office also serves other localities such as Lapu-Lapu City, Cordova, Balamban, Bantayan Island, component cities, and municipalities in northern Cebu, including Camotes Island.

NBI Director Eric Distor in his message through Oliva said the formal inauguration of the district office is a significant milestone in the 85 years of NBI in providing quality and timely service to Filipino.

Distor also thanked the Mandaue City Government for helping them establish the district office.

The ceremonial opening and blessing was attended by NBI 7 Director Renan Oliva, District Agent-in-Charge Arnel Pura, Lawyer John Eddu Ibañez, executive secretary of Mayor Jonas Cortes, City Councilor Anjong Ouano-Icalina, among others.

Further, this murder case of a boy from Lapu-Lapu City is the first major case solved by the office.