DAVAO CITY –— The Special Investigation Task Group Bragas filed rape with homicide cases on June 5 against four persons who allegedly raped and choked to death the 28-year-old architect Vlance Marie Laruan Bragas on May 17.
Davao City Police Office (DCPO) director Colonel Alberto Lupaz in a press conference night of June 5, identified the suspects as Dennis Roy P. Panzan, 23, years old, hailed from Carmen, North Cotabato and temporarily residing in Calinan District, Kent Laurence M. Espinosa, 19 years old, student, a resident of barangay Lacson, Renato Ali Bayansao-known as Empoy of Purok 20, Acacia, Calinan and one John Doe.
The city police considered the case cleared while the P1-million reward was released to the witnesses last week, Lupaz revealed.
Bragas, a licensed Architect was a resident of Purok 18 Durian Village In Calinan, she worked online.
Her mother Henrietta told Newsline, her daughter quit her job to accompany her after she retired in October 2022.
The timeline:
On May 16 at around 10:00 in the evening, Bragas texted her mother Henrieta that she was on her way home and waiting for a ride.
The CCTV footage showed that around 10:39 she was boarding a yellow “Umbak”, an improvised version of a tricycle at the corner of Fausta Street which is just five-minute ride to her home.
The restless mom went out and found a sandal near the house (which later turned out to be the house rented by one of the suspects), prompting them to report to the police at 12:30 midnight on May 16.
On May 17, at around 8:00 in the morning a banana plantation worker found Bragas’ lifeless body and her lower part exposed in a ditch within the vicinity of a banana plantation in Purok 6, Barangay Dacudao, Calinan district, the area is five kilometers away from Calinan Center.
The police found the body but her bag, and mobile phone were nowhere to be found.
National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) XI Regional Director Atty. Archie Albao, affirmed Lupaz statement saying the suspects were monitoring her schedule and the plan was crafted.
The connections and arrests:
“Magkakilala sila (they know each other) and they are into illegal drugs. It was a premeditated crime because they studied the pattern of the victim from going out of the house up to the time she comes home,” Lupaz told Newsline.
A witness whom Vistar identified only as Michael, told the SITG that he was just a few steps away from the suspect when Bragas boarded the “Umbak” at around 10:39 on May 16.
Michael in his affidavit claimed he saw the “Umbak” with a driver and two other passengers seated at the back portion of the trike. One female and one male. The man on the left side was wearing a gray Jersey sando with a tribal tattoo on his right hand and was in shorts (who was later identified as Espinosa) while the female passenger was in white t-shirt (was Bragas).
The witness said the Umbak was heading towards Barangay Talomo River,
While a lady witness in her affidavit stated that she was standing at a meat shop in the hope of buying chicken meat at around 10:42 when the rushing trike almost hit and few minutes late Dennis and another man approached a woman who disembarked and punched her face while the girl was about to shout, the witness claimed “another man covered her mouth and punched her ”.
The witness said, she late identified the Umbak driver as Bayansao, who was wearing a black sweatshirt in the evening of May 16 (the night Bragas boarded a yellow Umbak).
In a video obtained by NewsLine Philippines, the mobile phone of a passenger at the back seat of the trike glared when Bragas boarded the vehicle.
The connections and the arrests:
On May 27, Panzan was forcibly taken from their house and went missing.
In the same day, the family of Espinosa also claimed their son Kent disappeared.
At around 12:00 midnight of the same day, operatives from the NBI and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) swooped on the house of Bayansao in Calinan and conducted a buy-bust.
The operatives found four sachets of illegal drugs in his possession and an unlicensed firearm, which led to his arrest.
On May 29, Rodrigo Cadungog of Matina Pangi found Panzan whose head was packed with duck tape, handcuffed, and with torture traces after escaping from his abductors.
The victim was already gasping when taken to the Talomo Police Station and while being interviewed, suddenly he fainted and was rushed to the Southern Philippine Medical Center where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.
Panzan’s father Jesus told reporters that his son knew Espinosa because they were talking about dealing rabbits.
The exchange of communication between Panzan and Espinosa was recovered by the police in the former’s messenger.
Bayansao’s mother accused the police of planting evidence and is even planning to file charges against them saying her son is innocent on the charges.
What the police say?
Albao narrated that when the NBI operatives apprehended Bayansao for possession of illegal drugs, the operatives found in his possession three Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards owned by the Bragas’ and he was tested positive for illegal drugs use as shown in the drug test result.
Atty. Albao however said, the operation was legitimate and agencies were present during the operation which was in accordance with the law.
The Bayansao’s also claimed he does not know how to drive and was at the house when the crime was committed but Colonel Lupaz said the police was able to secure a record from the Land Transportation Office which shows Bayansao acquired a motorbike through a loan.
“Paano siya magkuha ng motor kung hindi sya marunong magmaneho (Why will he get a motor if he does not know how to drive,” Lupaz emphasized.
While Fridalyn Espinosa said she last saw her son Kent the other Friday, they only found his motorbike abandoned.
His mother cannot believe he is capable of committing the crime as charged and until now is looking for him.
The case is strong:
Both Albao and Lupaz believe the cases against the suspects are strong based on evidence gathered, the testimony of witnesses, and CCTV footage.
“We build a strong case against the suspect, it is now up to the court to decide on the merits,” Lupaz emphasized.
Calinan Barangay Captain Ursi Ungab told Newsline, there are around 5,000 tricycles operating in his barangay, of which 1,000 are “Umbak” and around 400 are colored yellow but the unit which Bragas boarded seemed not from his barangay.
A resident who lives near the banana plantation said they were not aware of any incident on Tuesday night and they never heard their dogs barging.
Calinan is among the five biggest barangays of the city has at least 5,000 trikes, said Barangay Captain Ungab.
Of the 5,000, 1,000 are Bao-bao and 400 are painted yellow since the colors allowed in their village include red, white, and yellow.
The Davao City Police in a statement said “The DCPO strongly condemns the inhumane act and assures that best efforts will be exerted in the investigation of the case for prompt identification and arrest of the suspect.”
Major Neil M. Vistar, who was relieved on Friday, June 9, as Police chief of the Calinan precinct, during the press conference said the witnesses in their affidavits revealed they recognized the suspects.
The Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) findings, according to Vistar, showed the suspects raped and killed Bragas at the place where her cadaver was found hours after she went missing.
The Philippine National Police autopsy result showed that Bragas died due to “Asphyxia by manual strangulation.” The same report found “recent genital trauma,” which confirmed that the victim was raped.
The Davao City Police in a statement said “The DCPO strongly condemns the inhumane act and assures that best efforts will be exerted in the investigation of the case for prompt identification and arrest of the suspect.”
Some facts obtained by Newlsine:
1. One of Bragas’ slippers was found near the rented house of Panzan;
2. Reports reaching Newsline revealed that on May 17, at around 4:00 in the afternoon operatives from the PNP Regional Special Operations Group (RSOG) found Braga’s bag in the same place where she was found dead;
3. The crime laboratory report found no traces of DNA in Braga’s body, not even on her fingers, nor seminal fluids on her genitals but stated there was penetration, the police theorized that the victim was overpowered by the suspects;
4. The mobile of Bragas has yet to be found;
5. As of this writing, the police have yet to find the “Umbak”;
6. All that the police got was circumstantial evidence and no direct evidence;
7. Who is John Doe? Is he influential? Is he the one threatening the Bragas family?
8. Who abducted Panzan?
The Bragas matriarch lambaste City and police officials over the fate of their daughter and distanced themselves from the media.
With Major Rick Obenza as the new Chief of Calinan Police, can the people expect the robbery and the Bragas cases be solved?
The case is now at the prosecution office being reviewed, but based on the narrative of the case- We can Say—IT IS FAR FROM OVER. -Editha Z. Caduaya
