P1.1-million reward up for arrest of Cavite student’s killer
ON CAM The Dasmariñas City police release on Friday, March 31, 2023, the video footage placing suspect
Angelito Erlano in the area where student Queen Daguinsin was found dead on March 28, 2023. —PHOTO FROM THE DASMARIÑAS CITY POLICE
Government officials in Cavite province have offered a P1.1-million reward for anyone who could provide information that would lead to the arrest of the killer of a 22-year-old female student in Dasmariñas City on March 28.
Police on Friday identified the alleged killer of Queen Leanne Daguinsin, a graduating student of De La Salle University-Dasmariñas, as Angelito Erlano, from Barangay San Nicolas 2 of the city, who had previous criminal record.
“The suspect was identified from security camera footage,” Police Lt. Col. Juan Oruga Jr., Dasmariñas City police chief, said in a phone interview.
Daguinsin was found dead inside her room in a dormitory in Barangay Santa Fe in the afternoon of March 28.
READ: Student found dead inside boarding house in Dasmariñas City
Article continues after this advertisementInvestigators said the bloodied body of the young woman, a native of Pila town, Laguna province, was found with a pillow on her face, without lower garments and bore multiple stab wounds.
Article continues after this advertisementOruga said the victim sustained 14 stab wounds—one in the neck, nine in her body and four in her arms, which indicated she put up a fight against the suspect.
According to Oruga, robbery could be the most likely motive as Erlano was detained for robbery in April 2022. It was not immediately known why or when he was freed.
FILE PHOTO: Angelito Erlano
Police operatives of Dasmariñas City and Cavite province tracking the suspect were led to Erlano’s house in Barangay San Nicolas 2 around 11:30 p.m. on Wednesday. They were not able to arrest Erlano but recovered a black shirt with white stripe and a blue t-shirt, which investigators believed to have been used by the suspect when he robbed and stabbed to death Daguinsin inside her room.
READ: Suspect in DLSU-Dasmariñas student’s killing identified – PNP
They also recovered a black backpack, believed to be owned by Daguinsin.
Among those who contributed to the bounty to find the suspect were Gov. Juanito Victor “Jonvic” Remulla, Senator Ramon Revilla Jr. and the Dasmariñas city government, who offered P300,000 each; and Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. and his wife, Dasmariñas City Mayor Jennifer Barzaga, who gave P100,000 each.
Security footage
Based on the security footage, the suspect climbed up the rooftop of the Aterrado Dormitory at around 1 a.m. and then went to the second floor of the adjacent Rolisa Dormitory, where the victim’s room was located.
Another piece of footage showed that the suspect left the building “as if nothing had happened” and brought with him some personal belongings of the victim, the report added.
Police Col. Christopher Olazo, Cavite police chief, activated the Special Investigation Task Group-Daguinsin to fast-track the investigation.
“We will not stop until the suspect in this heinous crime is captured and jailed and that we can give justice to what happened to the victim,” Olazo said in a separate interview.
Police said tipsters could provide the information through mobile phone numbers 0998-5985587 and 0998-9673350.
—DELFIN T. MALLARI AND DEXTER CABALZA
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