By NITZ ARANCON
and LITO RULONA
Correspondents
POLICE yesterday said they were looking into allegations that the murder of a teenager in a hotel in Lapasan had something to do with the complaints filed by the victim and her family against a barangay chairman.
“The parents of the victim are really saying that there’s a connection between the murder and the case they filed against the barangay chairman,” said Chief Insp. Ariel Philip Pontillas, chief of Agora police station.
The victim, Nena (not her real name), was found dead inside the toilet of a hotel room past midnight Tuesday. Her head was in a plastic wrap, and police said she died of suffocation.
Pontillas said investigators have not discounted the possibility that whoever killed the teenager was “hired.”
At the Agora police station yesterday, Nena’s mother Rizalina said she was convinced that her daughter’s murder had something to do with the complaints for rape, child abuse and violence against women and children that she and the victim filed against Achilles Jude Babaran, the barangay chairman of Pagatpat.
The complaints were filed with the City Prosecutor’s Office and the Office of the Ombudsman.
Rizalina said Nena was raped on June 19, 2015 but they filed the complaints against Babaran in April 2016. She said it took time for Nena to confide what was allegedly done to her because she did not want to bring shame to her family.
She said they also charged Babaran with gross violation of provisions in the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees before ombudsman.
The murder victim was supposed to attend a preliminary hearing pertaining to the rape complaint against the barangay chairman before the prosecutor’s office earlier this week.
Pontillas said the victim’s mother told investigators that her family received threats days before the murder. He said there was an attempt to settle the case outside the court, and supposedly, an offer was made.
Barangay chairman Babaran strongly denied Rizalina’s allegations in a news conference yesterday.
He called a lie the accusation that he raped the teenager, adding that it was “politically motivated,” and that Rizalina had an ax to grind against him.
He said Rizalina was angry at him because she did not get his support when she ran for president of the “United Community Association Relocation Enthusiast” (Ucare) in Pagatpat.
Babaran said there were also efforts to smear his name because he would be seeking a reelection as Pagatpat’s barangay chairman.
He said the accusations were very serious and caused him so much stress.
Babaran also denied knowing “Jason Caram” or “Jason Caramba,” the suspect in the teenager’s murder.
Police said the murder suspect likely gave fictitious names.
Chief Insp. Pontillas said suspect gave the hotel and self-confessed procurer April Jean Albit two different names–he used “Jason Caram” when he registered as a hotel guest but introduced himself as “Jason Caramba” to Albit and Nena.
The victim’s 52-year old mother called on President Duterte to give her family justice. Her daughter, the sixth and youngest, would have turned 17 years later this month.
“President Digong, tabangi gyud intawon kami nga madakpan unta sa dali nga panahon ang nagpatay sa akong anak aron mahatagan sa hustisya ang iyang kamatayon,” said Rizalina as she broke into tears beside her 55-year old husband Erexes.
She described her daughter as “friendly” even as she frowned over claims made by Albit, the self-confessed procurer, that the victim had been selling herself.
“Dili ko moto-o ana, bo-otan akong anak,” Rizalina said.
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