Woman’s body found in river not Pilapil’s companion

MANILA, Philippines—The husband of the missing companion of actress Pilar Pilapil has denied that the body retrieved from Tumana River in Marikina City was that of his wife, police said Tuesday night.

The unidentified body was recovered on Monday morning four days after at least two men stabbed Pilapil in Marikina City and fled, taking with them the actress’ companion, Rosel Peñas, who has not been heard from since.

Chief Supt. Samuel Pagdilao Jr. said earlier Tuesday that forensic examiners from the Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory were running a fingerprint analysis to check the identity of the body.

Tuesday night, Pagdilao sent a text message to the Inquirer saying: “No ID yet and still unclaimed. But according to Rosel’s husband, it’s not his wife.” Pagdilao did not elaborate.

Pagdilao heads the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), which has created a special task group to go after at least two men who attacked Pilapil and apparently abducted Peñas last Thursday night near the Marikina Riverbanks Center.

The 60-year-old former beauty queen and actress survived multiple knife wounds. Her assailants left her for dead in Antipolo City while taking Peñas in the gold Kia Carnival van she was said to be driving.

The CIDG released on Tuesday a photograph of Peñas “to encourage people she knows and those who might have seen her to inform the authorities of her latest whereabouts,” according to Pagdilao.

Police have come up with a composite sketch of a male suspect based on Pilapil’s description of the man who repeatedly stabbed her.

No record

Police investigators remain stumped about Peñas after a background check showed she is not connected with Unilever Philippines as previously reported.

Pagdilao said they merely followed up Pilapil’s statement that Peñas was connected with the multinational company.

“(Peñas) does not have any record with the company to show that she is an employee,” he said. “A check at the Social Security System turned out also that Unilever has no employee by the name of Rosel Jacosalem or Rosel Peñas.”

Husband helping

Pagdilao also said that Unilever Philippines does not own a gold Kia Carnival vehicle.

Investigators are still checking Peñas’ travel records based on Pilapil’s statement that Peñas arrived in the country last April 13.

Pilapil’s husband, Bernie Peñas, has also been helping in the investigation, according to Pagdilao.

“Right from the start, he has been helping us by giving information about the case,” Pagdilao said.

Police have said that Pilapil went with Peñas the night of the assault supposedly to go to a business meeting with Unilever executives.

Investigators earlier said that Peñas’ husband—initially identified by the police as Noel but whom Pagdilao said last night was named Nelson—told police his wife had sent a text message to him at 1 a.m. on Friday saying she was in a taxi on her way home. At about 10 a.m., also on Friday, the husband said he received a call from Peñas asking for help and saying “someone wants to kill me” before the line went dead.