BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occidental, Philippines – The probes on the death of a teener in Sum-ag village here who was declared missing late July and found dead middle of August appear to be growing murkier by the day as police officers are shying away from giving updates to the local press on the highly-publicized case.
Even the spokesman of sitting Mayor Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez is not commenting anymore on the development of the case, at least to DNX.
Exactly 10 days later since her body was found inside a canefield in La Carlota City more than 30 kilometers away, the National Police has yet to declare if they are probing a missing person case and murder or a rape case snd a murder.
Even Camp Montelibano, the Negros Occidental Provincial Police Office or the main police appear reluctant to release information on the case that has sparked an abdiction scare across the province.
“The investigation is ongoing,” is the standard four-word reply of either Lt. Col. Lymel John Pasquin or his deputy, Captain Rosinie Cabuena on the status of the case.
Askef for specifics like how the autopsy was conducted to ascertain if thete was rape amid reports the victim’s torso was already badly decomposed, Cabuena could only mouth the same line.
Only the National Bureau of Investigation, the special probe arm of the Justice Department has something substantial to say this week after it released an update on its probe midweek by confirming that Renie John Nacis, the victim’s stepfather, was officially a person of interest.
Special investigator William De Arca told DNX that Nacis was classified as a POI after he showed behavior he described as “not normal” such as Nacis’ flight after Pearl Joy’s dead body was found.
His common-law wife, Jenifer, the mother of Pearl Joy, said it was triggered by a marital spat, a claim that Nacis himself refuted after showing up Thursday at the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group office here.
Aside from De Arca, key persons who are supposed to answer the media have shied away from answering DNX.
They include the chief of the La Carlota City Police Office, Lt. Col. Lyme John Pasquin, his deputy, Captain Rosinie Cabuena, and even Camp Montelibano spokesman, Captain Wilma Silva, who could only refer the queries to Pasquin.
Asked by DNX why no special investigation task group was formed to coordinate efforts between two city police offices, Silva could only answer: an SITG is only needed if there is still no person of interest.
Asked by DNX Executive Editor Julius D Mariveles in a phone interview if the La Carlota City Police already has one, Silva could only chuckle and refer him to Pasquin who had not been answering calls and returning texts from DNX.
His deputy, Cabuena, had not been answering calls and could only text back she is always in a meeting.
When finally interviewed, her standard, almost recorded replies to all questions were only: “the investigation is ongoing” or “all angles are being considered” and would sometimes sound frustrated or disgusted when pressed for details.
