The body of a man identified to be an ex-convict was found in Sitio Puti, Buhisan, Cebu City, on Tuesday morning, August 27, 2024. | DYSS Super Radyo GMA Photo via Futch Anthony Inso
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Police will soon be filing murder charges against the suspect behind the killing of an ex-convict whose body was found in a grassland in Sitio Upper Puti in Brgy. Buhisan, Cebu City on Tuesday, August 27.
The suspect was found to be the former lover of the victim’s common law partner.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Janette Rafter, deputy director for administrations of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), told reporters that murder raps were being readied against the suspect.
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Rafter said that they would file the case as soon as they would receive the death certificate and the results of the autopsy examination on the cadaver of the victim, Rico Oquiño.
“Naghuwat na lang ang atong kapulisan sa autopsy and the death certificate para ma-file nato kining kaso nga murder. So naa na tay suspect. Ready na ang atong mga affidavit but ang autopsy na lang gyud ug ang death certificate ang atong gihuwat. So this is going to be a regular filing,” she said.
(Our police are just waiting for the autopsy and death certificate so that we can file the case of murder. So we have a suspect. Our affidavits are ready, but we are just waiting for the death certificate and the autopsy. So this is going to be a regular filing.)
Oquiño, 25, made a living as a jeepney conductor and is a native of Brgy. Matab-ang in Toledo City.
He was previously jailed for a drug-related case and was staying in Brgy. Buhisan with his common-law partner Jarisa Biasong.
At around 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday, he was found dead with hack wounds.
Police investigation lead to the identification of the victim’s neighbor in Toledo City, Jephosin Cantunao, 30, as his killer.
Cantunao and Biasong used to be in a relationship and they have a 3-year-old child together.
According to police, Cantunao came to the victim’s house on Monday night to hand over child support money.
The two men, however, had an argument and Cantunao walked out.
A few minutes later or at around 8:00 p.m., he returned holding a bolo and allegedly attacked Oquino who was walking alone.
He then allegedly threatened Biasong and her family to refrain from talking about the incident or he will kill them. Because of this, the victim’s body was found a day after he was killed.
Operatives also disclosed that the victim and the suspect had old grudges that resulted from jealousy. Due to this, police are looking at love triangle as the possible motive in the killing.
As of this writing, Cantunao is still at large despite the police’s efforts to find him in the mountainous area.
Rafter said that they will be filing the murder charges possibly within this week as soon as they receive Oquino’s autopsy results and death certificate.