FBI joins hunt for Fil-Am slay suspect

OLONGAPO CITY, Philippines—The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has joined the hunt for the Filipino-American tagged as the primary suspect in the killing of a 23-year-old woman here last week.

Mayor Rolen Paulino said the warrant of arrest issued by a Zambales court for Jonathan Dewayne Ciocon Viane, 29, for the murder of Karie Ces “Aika” Mojica was transmitted to the FBI attaché at the US Embassy in Manila.

Viane however will not be brought back to the Philippines when he is arrested, Paulino said. “He will be jailed in the US. [The Philippines cannot apply for extradition] because he is a US citizen,” Paulino told the Inquirer on Thursday.

Viane, and a second suspect, Niño de la Cruz, were charged with the killing in Zambales Regional Trial Court Branch 71 in Iba on July 28.

Mojica’s body was found on a dike in San Felipe, Zambales, on July 25. Police described the remains as “partly burned” with the hands tied with a black plastic strap.

Forensic investigators recovered three spent 9-mm pistol shells on the dike.

Paulino said the local government was coordinating with the Department of Justice and the US Embassy to expedite the arrest of Viane, a resident of Anchorage, Alaska.

Viane flew to the US on Sunday, according to Paulino.

Mojica was laid to rest here on Thursday afternoon. Her sister, Erika, became emotional during the memorial service. “We don’t know how to move on from this. When they killed my sister, it felt like they killed all of us in our family,” Erika said.

Josar Mojica, the victim’s father, pleaded for the immediate arrest of Viane and De la Cruz. He said his daughter may have been dragged into Viane’s marital problems, noting that Aika and Viane’s US-based wife were friends.

Viane left his wife in the US, bringing their son to the Philippines in April amid a custody issue, the elder Mojica said.

“My daughter had given the suspect’s wife information on his whereabouts here. I think that’s the real motive behind this,” he said.