Prayer vigil held for slain college student in Occidental Mindoro town

At least 2,000 people hold a unity walk and a prayer vigil on Monday (July 3) as they called for justice for Eden Joy Villacete, a 21-year-old student of architecture in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro, who was found dead in her rented room on June 30. (Photo courtesy of Care FM San Jose)

CITY OF CALAPAN, Oriental Mindoro – Garbed in white clothes, some 2,000 people on Monday (July 3) held a unity walk and prayer vigil to seek justice for a student who was found dead in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro, on June 30.

Eden Joy Villacete, 21, an incoming fifth-year architecture student at Occidental Mindoro State College (OMSC), was stabbed to death and found naked inside her rented room in Barangay 7, according to the police.

The victim’s body was discovered when her neighbors reported to authorities that there was a foul odor emanating from the student’s room and that they had not seen her in the past two days.

Police said Villacete sustained six stab wounds to different parts of her body, adding that there is a possibility that the victim was raped.

OMSC Radyo Kalibasib, Care FM San Jose, Sablayan, and Mamburao live streamed Monday’s vigil for Villacete that was organized by the OMSC Student Affairs Office and Student Council.

The vigil was led by Villacete’s family and friends, who attended a Mass at St. Joseph Cathedral.

They also held a unity walk, released doves and lit candles.

“We condemn in the strongest terms the violent killing… We call on the authorities for the speedy solving of this heinous crime as we commit to full cooperation and support in the conduct of the investigation,” said the OMSC in a statement read by its vice president for academics, Dr. Norma Muyot,during the program.

“We will always remember Eden Joy as a hardworking, amiable, and responsible student leader who would prioritize the interests of those she led before her own,” said the OMSC.

“She was kind, thoughtful, and wanted to complete her studies to help us,” said the victim’s father, Perlito, a fisherman.

Her mother, Violeta, was heartbroken. “We cry for justice,” she said.

Several other residents in the province, as far away as Lubang Island, where Villacete’s parents come from, watched the live streamed program.

On Sunday, the San Jose police station reminded the public not to believe that the suspect had already surrendered or been arrested.

More than P500,000 in reward money has been raised by officials and residents of Occidental Mindoro since July 1, according to the authorities.

“We are a quiet town. We have spent sleepless nights trying to resolve the case. We appeal to the perpetrator to surrender. You cannot do away with the law of God,” said San Jose Mayor Rey Ladaga, during the vigil.

“We hope that with help from the NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) and other authorities, the case will be resolved,” said Ladaga, who also appealed to the parents to convince the perpetrator to surrender.

Ladaga, who is also a lawyer, requested that the public stop spreading the disturbing video of Villacete’s body.

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