Man arrested for death of teenager in Tabuelan

CEBU, Philippines - A 38-year-old man was tagged as the suspect behind the killing of the 13-year-old girl whose body was dumped in a well in Barangay Tigbawan, Tabuelan town last Friday.

Police arrested Elmar Montecalbo at around 2 p.m. last Friday, six hours after the body of Juliana Lahoylahoy was discovered. The victim is supposed to turn 14 years old on July 10, which ironically is also Montecalbo’s birthday.

PO2 Gilbert Allego said circumstantial evidence pointed to Montecalbo as suspect to the crime.

Allego said the other pair of Montecalbo’s slippers was found in an area near the well. The slipper was identified by Lahoylahoy’s elder brother as Montecalbo’s because they often see each other considering that they are just neighbors.

 Allego said at least three witnesses are also being interrogated. He said the suspect was arrested in his house. He peacefully surrendered to authorities.

“Di ba kung wa g’yud nimo buhata muhilak ka og tuda or mag-kisikisi g’yud ka. But siya, mura ra’g wala. Naa’y mubisita niya diri, makabati man ko, igo ra siya mui-ngon na unsaon ta man,” Allego told The FREEMAN. (He did not resist arrest. It would make you think that if he did not have anything to do with the crime, he would have objected. Everytime someone visits him in jail we hear him say there’s nothing he can do.)

Allego said the suspect was among those who looked for the victim when she was reported missing since Thursday. He disappeared later and was arrested at his house in sitio Dalinsan, also in Barangay Tigbawan.

Allego said autopsy result showed that Lahoylahoy died of asphyxia and further showed that she was not raped.

“Gituok ‘to siya. Posible rape-on g’yud unta ‘to unya wala lang madayon,” the police officer further said. (She was strangled. It’s possible there was an attempt to rape her.)

Allego said they will submit the suspect to an inquest proceeding at the Provincial Capitol tomorrow, Monday.

Lahoylahoy, who is described to be a good girl and youngest of seven siblings, is a second year high school student of San Miguel National High School in San Remegio town.

Last Thursday, she failed to return home after her afternoon classes. At around 8 a.m. last Friday, her elder brother, Junie, and her uncle Lando found her dead, her body dumped in the abandoned well.

Authorities initially thought she was raped because she was no longer wearing her skirt. The white shirt which she wore as uniform was tied around her neck. (FREEMAN)