Live-in partner tagged as suspect in killing of partner, minor

A lighted candle and flowers are placed inside the room where a woman and her daughter were shot to death allegedly by her live-in partner in Cebu City. | CDN Digital Photo via Pegeen Maisie Sararana

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Police are looking for the live-in partner of the woman who was killed inside a room in Sitio San Roque, Barangay Guadalupe here on Monday dawn, January 31, 2022.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Maria Theresa Macatangay, information officer of Cebu City Police Office, said the suspect is identified as a certain Jan-Jan Moko, although this full name has yet to be verified.

Police said Moko, who happens to be a police asset, is the suspect in shooting his common-law-wife, Jenelyn Bontilao, and the latter’s 15-year-old and 11-year-old daughters inside a room they were renting in Sitio San Roque.

Macatangay confirmed that Bontilao, 31, and her 15-year-old daughter died on the spot. The 11-year-old daughter is currently admitted in a hospital.

Macatangay said the suspect is a member of the force multiplier assigned to the Police Station 2, or the Abellana Police Station, and other stations.

Police Major Armando Labora, chief of Abellana Police Station, for his part, clarified that the police do not allow police assets to bring firearms. He said that they are not aware on how Moko got the firearm he allegedly used in killing the victims. He added that Moko is not a resident police asset of his station.

Hot pursuit operations are being conducted as of this posting.

“We have elicited the help of other police stations in Cebu City because we found out that he is one of the personalities helping as a force multiplier . We are looking into that as well and reviewing our conduct of the investigation to these people who are helping us,” Macatangay said.

Unfortunate

Macatangay said that the victim reportedly broke up with the suspect and that this may be the motive for the crime.

Based on information relayed to her, Macatangay said that the relationship between the two was already on the rocks and that the victim recently decided to officially end their relationship.

“It is really unfortunate that this is what greets us on February, which is supposedly the month for the celebration of love,” she said.

As to the circumstance of the incident, Macatangay said that she could not disclose yet what happened pending the request of the police for examination from the personnel of Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO). Until such time that they will receive the result of the examination, only then Macatangay could disclose what really happened.

Since the suspect is an active member of the city’s force multipliers aiding police in some of their operations, Macatangay warned those who might help in hiding him that they would be held liable under the law.

“You can be held liable for obstruction of justice. We urge everyone to help the authorities solve this crime by helping us find the suspect,” Macatangay said.

Cry for justice

Meanwhile, Jessam Pega, the half sister of Bontilao, said in an interview that she was in her house a few meters away from the victim’s when the incident happened.

She was told by her neighbors about the fight that Bontilao and Moko were having at that time. After hearing shouts, neighbors  said that they heard multiple gunshots from the said room. A few minutes after, they saw Moko quickly fleeing the area. 

When they had the chance to check on her sister, they immediately went inside the house of the victim, and there they already saw the victims covered with blood.

Pega said that they saw gunshot wounds on the head of the victims. Her sister could no longer be awakened so as with the 15-year-old daughter.

Pega said that the 11-year-old girl is set for operation and is in critical condition as of this posting.

Pega also appealed to the public to help the police find the suspect so they can give justice to what happened to her half sister and her daughters.

“Justice is all we ask for. We hope they find Janjan dead or alive just so we can attain justice,” she said.

For his part, Police Major Jonathan Dela Cerna, chief of the Guadalupe Police Station, said that as of now, they are still trying to find out the possible whereabouts of the suspect and his real full name.

/bmjo

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