Police zero in on former live-in partner as suspect

CEBU, Philippines - The Cordova police have identified the suspect behind the killing of a young couple in Cordova town last Sunday afternoon.

Jennelyn Premacio, 18, and her 17-year-old boyfriend were found lifeless in a grassy area in Barangay Buagsong. Premacio sustained stabbed wounds on the neck and the other parts of her body while Inoc Balorio was stabbed twice on the neck and shot on both his legs. He also had bruises along his eyes.

Cordova Police chief Police Chief Insp. Noli Cernio said the suspect is allegedly Premacio’s former live-in partner. His name is being withheld pending arrest.

Cernio said Premacio had three live-in partners. She had two children with the first one but they eventually separated. Her second live-in partner, an alleged drug lord, is the uncle of the first man. She was reportedly living with the 17-year-old until their day last Sunday.

Authorities are looking at the alleged drug lord as the suspect in the killing. He is reportedly nowhere to be found. He reportedly has a pending murder case, but was able to post bail for his temporary liberty.

He said that illegal drugs could be the motive of the killing as investigation revealed that Premacio reportedly took a big amount of drugs from the suspect, but did not remit the proceeds.

Balorio was also killed due to jealousy and the suspect might have thought that the boy was the one selling the drugs Premacio got from him.

Meanwhile, an autopsy on the couple showed that they died of multiple gunshot wounds.

Dr. Joe Martin Fuentes of the PNP Crime Laboratory 7, said that based on the bullet found on Premacio’s head, it is most likely that the gun used by the suspects in killing the two was a .45 caliber pistol.

Aside from the gunshot wound on Premacio’s head, Fuentes said the girl was also hit on her chest and neck. Multiple abrasions on her face showed that she was hit by a hard object.

“The cut on her left face showed she was hit by a hard object but I can not determine what kind of object basta matigas,” Fuentes said in a phone interview.

Meanwhile, Fuentes said that the boy sustained a gunshot wound on the back of his head, which went through his upper left eyebrow. Fuentes said that no bullet was found on his body.

“Ang tama kasi niya ay through and through kaya walang ma-recover na bala sa katawan,” he said.

Fuentes explained that the two gunshot wounds on both the boy’s thighs could be signs that he was tortured first before he was killed.

“Parang pinahirapan muna siya bago siya pinatay base lang sa tama niya,” he said.

Based on how the victims were killed, Fuentes opined that it was impossible that only one suspect committed the crime.

Balorio’s mother is seeking justice for her son’s death.

Premacio’s father, Demetrio, believe that it was jealousy and not illegal drugs that triggered the crime. He said that the suspect authorities are eyeing now was very much in love with his daughter. The two reportedly lived together for a year and had since parted ways for the past month.

“In love kaayo siya sa akong anak, pero nilayas siya kay kanang tiunan kag armas. Unya duna na siya’y kuyog-kuyog na nga bag-o kadtong batan-on,” Demetrio said.  (FREEMAN)