Police continue hunt for 2 suspects at large in model’s killing

MANILA, Philippines—The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) is keeping a close watch on possible hideouts of two more suspects in the murder of model Julie Ann Rodelas.

Senior Superintendent Neri Ilagan, deputy director for operations, said the two suspects—an Efren Talib and another man known only by the alias Aldos—have fled their last known lair in the Salaam Compound in Barangay (village) Culiat, Quezon City, and moved to other possible hiding places.

“We are monitoring these other places believed to be their lairs,” Ilagan told reporters Thursday but declined to go into details.

Fellow suspect Jaymar Waradji pointed to Talib and Aldos as his cohorts in the November 6 shooting of Rodelas, a college student and part-time model.

Over the weekend, Waradji was arrested along with Rodelas’ colleague and friend Althea Altamirano and her boyfriend, Fernando Quiambao Jr. The motive was allegedly Altamirano’s grudge against Rodelas, who she said had been spreading rumors about her.

QCPD director Chief Supt. Mario de la Vega has formed tracker teams to go after the two suspects still at large.

Aside from sketches of the suspects, Ilagan said the police was coming up with computerized composite digital images of Talib and Aldos.

Meanwhile, the QCPD is waiting for the formal filing of murder charges in court against Altamirano and Quiambao, according to Chief Inspector Rodelio Marcelo of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit.

The QCPD crime laboratory is also finishing its examination of Quiambao’s black Mitsubishi Montero, which was allegedly used in the abduction and killing.

Marcelo said they found traces of human blood near the right side door of the vehicle.

According to Ilagan, the examination will help establish if the vehicle was indeed used in the crime.