DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 08 June) – The police are still clueless on the persons who abducted Kent Laurence Metegreto Espinosa and Dennis Roy Panzan, who are among the suspects in the rape-slay of 28-year-old Architect Vlanche Marie Bragas here.
Police Major Catherine dela Rey, Davao City Police Office (DCPO) spokesperson, said in an interview at the sidelines of I-Speak Media Conference on Thursday that investigation is still ongoing to determine the identities of those behind their abduction.
The 18-year-old Panzan, a resident of Purok 7 in Barangay Lacson, was reported missing at 9:30 a.m. of May 27, while Espinosa, 26, meat vendor, a resident of Purok 18, Megaville Street, Calinan, at 3:30 p.m. of the same day.
At 8:05 a.m. of May 29, Panzan was found in Matina Pangi, but he died an hour later at the Davao Adventist hospital, the police reported earlier.
“We cannot dismiss the fact that they are also victims because they were abducted. We are still conducting an investigation,” dela Rey said.
She said it remains unclear why the two suspects were taken, but added that their families are now coordinating with the police.
Dela Rey urged the public to immediately report to the police if they have any information regarding the persons responsible for the abduction of the suspects in the rape-slay case.
A complaint for rape with homicide was filed before the City Prosecutor’s Office on Monday against the suspects, including Renato Ali Banyansao and one unidentified person, in the rape-slay of Bragas.
During a press conference last Monday, Police Major Neil Vistar, station commander of Calinan Police Station, said that two witnesses testified that they had seen the suspects assaulting the victim.
He said that Bragas boarded an “Ombac” at 10:39 p.m. of May 16 at Crossing Fausta but shortly after the victim alighted at Megaville Street, Panzan allegedly punched her in the face while an unidentified suspect hit her in the stomach, about 50 meters away from her residence.
An Ombac is similar to a tricycle, and is sometimes called Bao-bao.
After she passed out, Vistar said the suspects carried her back to the motor vehicle and sped away.
The result of the autopsy examination conducted on the cadaver showed that the cause of death was “asphyxia by manual strangulation.”
The examination also found “recent genital trauma,” which confirmed that the victim was raped. (Antonio Colina IV / MindaNews)
