A beach on Boracay Island. This photo was taken on March 28, 2022. (File photo by JACK JARILLA)
ILOILO CITY, Iloilo, Philippines — The death of two tourists, including an Australian national, in their hotel room on Boracay Island last week was likely due to a case of “homicide and suicide,” according to a police investigation.
Lt. Col. Don Dicksie de Dios, the police chief in Malay town in Aklan province where the island resort is located, said they had ruled out that a third person was involved in the deaths of Dennis Yu and Maria Cecilia Jellicode on March 21.
Medicolegal examination results showed that Jellicode bore “ligature marks” that could indicate strangulation while Yu had cuts believed to be self-inflicted.
A hotel staff member found the remains of the couple, both 44 years old, lying near each other on the floor of their room. The staff checked on them due to their scheduled checkout time.
Yu, a businessman from Quezon City, and the Philippine-born Jellicode, from Brisbane in Australia, arrived on the island on March 13 and were supposed to check out from their hotel in Barangay Balabag on March 21.
De Dios said the couple’s belongings, including cash in foreign and peso denominations, were intact and were returned to their next of kin.
Autopsy and toxicology test results also showed that Jellicode died earlier than Yu. He was also seen leaving their room alone around 9 a.m. before returning shortly.
The couple’s mobile phones were still subjected to a digital forensic test to shed more light on the incident.
The couple was last seen alive having breakfast at the hotel a few hours before the recovery of their remains.
The Philippine National Police in Boracay has assured the safety of tourists on the world-famous destination as more tourists are expected to visit the island after more than two years of travel and quarantine restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
—NESTOR P. BURGOS JR.
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