Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Tuesday that he is set to issue an immigration lookout bulletin order (ILBO) against Julian Ongpin, the identified last companion of painter Bree Jonson, who was found unconscious and later declared dead in La Union.
Guevarra said he would issue the ILBO after receiving a request from the victim’s mother, Salome Jonson, to release a hold departure order against Ongpin over possible involvement in the death of her 30-year old daughter.
Authorities have arrested Ongpin on drug charges but he was later released from custody as investigations were ongoing on the death of the young artist on Saturday, September 18.
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Tuesday said he is set to issue the ILBO after receiving the request of Salome Jonson, mother of artist Bree Jonson, to put Ongpin on hold departure order for his possible involvement in the death of the 30-year old painter.
“I’ll issue the order today,” Guevarra told INQUIRER.net in a Viber message.
“In the meantime, the BI (Bureau of Immigration) has already been alerted,” he added.
READ: Mom of late artist Bree Jonson wants Julian Ongpin on hold departure order
READ: Tycoon’s son Julian Ongpin released, PNP chief Eleazar confirms
Guevara said in another statement: “The DOJ may further consider asking the court for the issuance of a preliminary hold-departure order depending on the progress of the preliminary investigation.”
Jonson was found unconscious inside a hotel room in San Juan, La Union, and later declared dead in a hospital.
Earlier, police said they are still waiting for the result of the autopsy on Jonson’s body although initial reports indicated it was death by suicide.
But Jonson’s mother did not think so, pointing to marks on the artist’s neck. She also noted alleged discrepancies in the statements of Ongpin, son of business tycoon Roberto Ongpin.
“Kasi ang pinapalabas nila, ang nagci-circulate sa media, sa social media, is that, nag-OD ang anak ko or nag-suicide ang anak ko. Hindi eh,” Jonson’s mother said during an ANC interview on Tuesday.
(They try to make it appear, what is circulating in media, and social media, is that my daughter overdosed or she committed suicide. I don’t think so.)
READ: Bree Jonson’s mom hints foul play in death of young artist
“I asked my sister to send a picture of my daughter. Kasi gusto kong makita. From that picture alone, makikita mo ‘yung, may mark si Breana dito sa leeg na mahaba, dalawa, tapos meron parang pulang pressure dito sa gitna. So, alam mo ‘yun, parang maiisip mo na something happened there,” she pointed out.
(I asked my sister to send a picture of my daughter. Because I want to see it, from that picture alone, you will see the long mark on Breana’s neck, two, and then a red pressure appears in the middle. So, you know, somehow you will think that something happened there.)
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