NOPPO chief lauds Silay PNP for arrest of suspects in slay of pregnant woman
BACOLOD CITY — Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office director Senior Superintendent Manuel Felix lauded the Silay City PNP lead by Police Superintendent Jerry Bartolome for the immediate arrest of three suspects involved in the death of a 36-year old pregnant woman in Barangay Central Hawaiian last week.
The Silay PNP successfully arrested Jimboy Equelan, 24, Rene Benting, 39, and Roger Detros, 33, at their respective residence in nearby EB Magalona town Tuesday.
Felix also directed Bartolome to speed up the filing of robbery with homicide charges against the three apprehended suspects.
“I also instructed the police chief to assist the family of victim Rubilyn Cartagena in whatever possible means that may lessen the impact of the tragic incident and after the suspects have been finally identified and arrested,” Felix said.
The three suspects are presently detained at Silay City Police Station.
It was known that the victim was a contractual secretary of Hawaiian Sugar Central and was found lifeless and half-naked inside a sugarcane field in Sitio Pulo-Lunoy, Barangay Hawaiian in Silay City last July 24 in the morning.
The victim went missing a day before after she left work earlier at around 2:45 pm as she was reportedly nauseating.
Her husband Danilo Cartagena Jr, 36, and a fellow worker at the sugar central, said that his wife complained to him she was not feeling well and immediately went home.
That was the last time Danilo saw her alive.
Frantic search was conducted by Danilo and his relatives for Ruby’s whereabouts until her lifeless body was finally discovered in a sugarcane field in Sitio Pulo-Lunoy by Ruby’s cousin Gerald, 31, and her younger brother Roderick, 32, all surnamed Roquero.
Recovered at the scene of the crime were the victim’s bag, a fatigue upper garment full of blood stains and the victim’s folder with the inscriptions “pasensya ka lang day kay ginsugo lang kami ni kabo”.
The victim, who is three months pregnant according to her husband, was found partially buried with wounds in the left portion of her face and another stab wound in her upper chest inflicted by the suspect or suspects. Her cellular phone and digicam were all missing.
Investigators believed Ruby was raped as her underwear and pants were removed from her waist down when found while her brassiere was likewise removed from her body and covered with the blood-stained upper fatigue garment.
But this initial investigation was reversed after the autopsy result came out stating that the victim found negative of any rape-indicators in her sex organs.
The husband, Danilo thanked the police for the early resolution of the case although the suspects are all denying the crime made.