Curious onlookers surround the body of Christine Lee Silawan, who was found with half of her face skinned in an empty lot in Barangay Bangkal, Lapu-Lapu City. (Contributed photo by JAYBOY D. DONAIRE via Cebu Daily News)
DAVAO CITY — The suspect in the brutal killing of Christine Silawan in Lapu-Lapu City was arrested at Matina here on Friday afternoon.
Chief Insp. Milgrace Driz of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group confirmed to the Inquirer by phone that Jonas Bueno was arrested in a joint operation of their agency, the National Bureau of Investigation-Region XI and the Mindanao Area Intelligence Office.
Bueno, 24, identified as the suspect behind the grisly killing of the 16-year-old church worker, reportedly fled to Davao City after the crime to work in a construction project in Matina Pangi village here several days prior to Friday’s arrest.
The suspect is now under police custody.
P2-M bounty
At least P2 million has been raised by different groups as bounty for the arrest of the suspect in the gruesome murder of Silawan, whose face was flayed and parts of her internal organs removed in a meticulously gruesome manner.
Silawan knew her assailants, according to the police.
Police Director for Central Visayas Debold Sinas told a news conference on Friday that Silawan was in constant touch with her assailants before she was killed and her body mutilated on Sunday night.
“Yes (the suspects and Christine are acquaintances). They have communication,” said Sinas.
New Facebook friend
According to some friends of Silawan, the girl met someone on Facebook and was supposed to meet him in February.
The plan didn’t push through after her friends warned her against the danger of meeting someone she didn’t know.
Her friends, however, didn’t know if Silawan eventually went ahead with her plan to meet her new friend.
Silawan, a Grade 9 student, was found dead on a vacant lot in Barangay Bangkal, Lapu-Lapu City, on Monday morning.
Although half naked, police said there was no indication she was raped.