Woman "eliminates" rival girlfriend: Killing for love of an American

CEBU, Philippines - A love triangle involving two Filpinas and an American took a tragic twist yesterday resulting to the death of one of the women and the arrest of the other.

The grisly tale was discovered when the body of Merlyn Zacal, 22, a native of Poblacion Sagay, Camiguin Province was found dumped on a roadside in sitio Antipolo, barangay Linao, Talisay City early morning yesterday.

It did not however take long for police to arrest the suspect, Geraldine Gilla, 27, of barangay Buaya, Lapu-Lapu City as her brother told the police about the crime.

The suspect owned up to killing Zacal, but said it was in self defense.

The two women are reportedly girlfriends of American national Mark Mosley, 48, of California, who left back for the US the other night.

Gilla said that after she sent off the American at the airport, she and Zacal met later at a disco in barangay Lahug, Cebu City.

The suspect said that Zacal asked to go to her house in Lapu-Lapu City to see the place and when they got there, the latter reportedly got angry when she learned that Gilla was getting more money from the American.

The suspect reportedly got between P16,000 to P20,000 from the American while the victim was receiving only P4,000 to P6,000.

Gilla, who claims to have been in a relationship with the American for the past six years, also got P100,000 twice and another P50,000.

Gilla, a native of Tabango, Leyte, said that Zacal attacked her by pulling her hair. During the struggle, Gilla said she got hold of the wire of her iPod and used it to choke Zacal.

Police investigators however said that an extension wire was used to choke the victim.

After the death of Zacal, Gilla allegedly tried to hide the body by stuffing it into a pail, but it wasn’t big enough so she tried to put the body inside a piece of furniture but also could not do so.

It was reportedly at this point that she stuffed Zacal’s body into a suitcase and later hailed a taxi with plate number GXD 712 driven by Jay Blanco to take the body to Talisay.

When they reached the spot where the body was dumped, Gilla reportedly asked Blanco to help her take the cargo out and the driver discovered that it was a woman’s body.

They took the suitcase back into the taxi and headed back to Lapu-Lapu City.

Police were already waiting at Gilla’s residence when she came back and arrested.

Blanco could also face charges for obstruction of justice for failing to immediately notify authorities about the crime.

Clifford, Gilla’s brother, was the one who reported the crime to the police while his sister was out to dump the body.

The police theorize that Zacal may have been killed in her sleep contrary to the claim of Gilla.

PO2 Epifanio Comedido investigator of the Talisay City Police Homicide Section said that there were no signs of struggle found on the body of the victim or that of the suspect.

   Comedido even suspects that the suspect’s brother might have helped stuff the body into the suitcase as Zacal was bigger than Gilla.

   Clifford, however, told investigators that he was asleep when the two women quarreled.

   He said that he reported the crime as he was disturbed by the incident.

   Comedido also said that the taxi driver could have an idea about the incident.

   “The suspect could have informed the driver about what was in that baggage. He might have even led her to that dumping site for a bigger fare,” said the police.

   Zacal’s remains were brought to the St. Francis Funeral Homes in barangay Bulacao, Talisay City.

   Police are now preparing murder charges against the suspect. —with Mylen P. Manto and Mellanie Joy C. Rosales, CNU interns, and Brenda D. Batuto of Banat News/NLQ (FREEMAN NEWS)