Husband of slain OFW leaves for Singapore

The husband of slain overseas Filipino worker (OFW) Jane La Puebla left for Singapore yesterday to claim the dismembered body of his wife for proper burial in their hometown in the province of Nueva Vizcaya.

"Gusto ko lang maiuwi siya," 32-year-old Crusaldo La Puebla told reporters who tried to interview him at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal I before boarding Singapore Airlines Flight SQ 73 that took him to the city-state yesterday afternoon. "Mahal na mahal ko ang asawa ko."

Crusaldo was accompanied by his aunt, Sally Barangan, and Dante Jimenez, head of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption.

Apart from taking home the body of his slain wife, Barangan said they were also keen on attending the court hearing of Guen Aguilar, the OFW accused of having murdered her.

The hearing, they said, will hopefully shed light on the murder of Jane.

The Philippine Embassy had provided La Puebla and Aguilar a lawyer each to ensure legal representation in the court case, which will be tried by a Singaporean court judge.

Philippine government agencies, including the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Office of the President, are also coordinating efforts in helping both the La Puebla family and Aguilar.

The grisly murder of La Puebla had caused a sensation in Singapore with the body having been chopped by her killer.

The parts were found in two different locations in Singapore — one at a train station in Orchard Road, a famous shopping district, and the MacRitchie Reservoir last Sept. 9.

Forensic examinations revealed that La Puebla was dismembered with a cleaver.

She had been identified through her fingerprints.

Aguilar, who is a domestic helper like La Puebla, is the victim’s close friend.

She was arrested 12 hours after the discovery of the body parts.