PNP says case of Cebu teen slay solved but not closed

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) considers the murder case of 16-year-old Christine Lee Silawan as solved but not closed, its spokesperson Senior Supt. Bernard Banac said on Tuesday.

“Masasabi na natin ngayon na (We can say now that) the murder case is solved but not yet closed,” Banac said in a press conference at Camp Crame, saying that two other suspects in the murder are still at large.

On Saturday night, March 16, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents arrested a 17-year-old boy believed to be the former boyfriend and primary suspect in the murder of Silawan.

The suspect revealed the names of his alleged cohorts, according to authorities.

According to the National Bureau of Investigation the murder was a crime of passion and that the suspect was driven by intense jealousy.

READ: Cebu slay a crime of passion, says NBI

“Matinding bugso ng damdamin, galit or selos patungkol sa kanyang relasyon sa biktima (It was because of his intense surge of emotion, anger, or jealousy in connection to his relationship with the victim),” Banac said.

According to NBI, footages from security cameras showed that the primary suspect picked up Silawan on his motorcycle after she attended Sunday Mass. Prior to the killing, phone messages revealed that the suspect and Silawan have been fighting allegedly because of the suspect’s jealousy.

Tomas Enrile, NBI Central Visayas chief said Silawan and the suspect had a relationship but it was not clear if they had broken up.

Silawan’s body was found in a vacant lot in Barangay Bangkal in Lapu Lapu City, Cebu province on March 11. Her face was skinned.

The PNP crime laboratory added that the front upper part of the victim’s neck, trachea, tongue, esophagus, right neck muscle, and right ear were also removed by the suspects.

Banac said investigators are still looking at the involvement of the two still at large suspects.  Banac added that it is also not clear if the two other suspects are also minors.

Meanwhile, Jonas Bueno, the man arrested in Davao City and who was previously considered as a person of interest in the murder has been absolved in the case.

Banac said Bueno will be brought to Danao City in Cebu province to be presented in court for allegedly killing a farmer, whose face was also skinned, on January 11.  /muf

READ: Suspect in Cebu teen slay arrested in Davao