Murder charges filed vs 4 suspects in death of Solaire casino manager

MANILA, Philippines - The Parañaque City Police on Friday filed a case of murder before the Parañaque City Prosecutor’s Office against four suspects in the grisly death of 26-year-old Solaire Resort and Casino assistant manager Edgel Joy Durolfo.

Named as respondents in the murder complaint were Durolfo’s live-in-partner Rodney Ynchausti, Josiebell Uy, Paul Egoc and Molo Hwang. According to the Parañaque Police, except for Egoc who works for a call center, the suspects are either former or present Solaire Resort and Casino employees.

In a press conference at the headquarters of the Southern Police District (SPD) in Taguig City, Parañaque Police chief, Senior Superintendent Ariel Andrade said the complaint for murder filed against the four suspects is anchored on the findings of the SPD Crime Laboratory which conducted an autopsy on the victim’s body.

According to the autopsy report dated Feb. 3, 2016 and signed by Superintendent Bonnie Chua, head of the SPD’s Crime Laboratory, Durolfo’s cause of death was asphyxia by manual strangulation. 

Police said a complaint for murder was filed against the four suspects as there was evident use of superior strength in the death of the victim.

“Sa result ng autopsy ay asphyxia due to manual strangulation. Let the city prosecutor’s office determine and analyze it (complaint). But since tinanggap nila yun, ibig sabihin, nakakita sila ng probable cause,” said Andrade.

As for the motive behind the killing, Andrade said it has yet to be established.

“Wala pa kaming direktang ano sa motibo. Sa ngayon, hindi pa namin na e-establish ang motibo,” he said.

As for the possibility that Durolfo was also sexually assaulted, Andrade said evidence is inconclusive.

“Batay sa report ng SOCO (Scene Of the Crime Operations) wala pang conclusive evidence for rape,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Parañaque Police said they have already asked the Department of Justice to place the four suspects on an immigration watch list for the possibility that they may attempt to leave the country.

The Parañaque Police admits that while the four suspects have submitted unsubscribed affidavits to the security department of the Solaire Resort and Casino, the suspects have yet to submit their respective sworn affidavits to the police.

In their murder complaint against the suspects, the Parañaque Police said Durolfo was killed at about 4 p.m. on February 26 inside Room 812 which is located at the 8th floor of the Solaire Resort and Casino’s Sky Tower 2 Building located at Aseana Boulevard in Barangay Tambo, Parañaque City.

Upon receiving the initial report of the incident, police investigators proceeded to the San Juan De Dios Hospital where the suspects later brought the victim.

Investigators found Durolfo unconscious at the hospital’s emergency room with several bruises in different parts of the body. Police said the victim was declared dead at 2:50 p.m. on February 26.

Evangel Durolfo, the victim’s mother told police that following the incident, she received a phone call from Ynchausti who informed her that her daughter was at the hospital.

Evangel told police that Ynchausti had asked for her forgiveness and told her that before her daughter was rushed to the hospital, they had a party at room 812 of the Solaire hotel and that they took ecstacy, a party drug.

According to Evangel, Ynchausti told her that her daughter, during the party, became wild and was “dancing exhaustively” until they saw her having difficulty breathing. Ynchausti said they then decided to bring the victim to the Solaire clinic.

Police said closed circuit television footage showed that at about 4 a.m. last February 26, the victim was seen being carried out of Room 812 by Ynchausti and Egoc to an elevator to the second floor where they were met by the hotel’s security and medical personnel. From the hotel’s clinic, the victim was brought to the San Juan de Dios Hospital.