DOJ urged to place 4 hotel murder suspects on watchlist

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Justice (DOJ) has been asked to place the four suspects in the death of 26-year-old Solaire Resort and Casino assistant manager Edgel Joy Durolfo on the Bureau of Immigration (BI) watchlist.

Durolfo’s partner Rodney Ynchausti; Josiebell Uy; Paul Egoc, and Molo Hwang have to be placed on the BI watchlist to prevent them from leaving the country, Parañaque police chief Senior Superintendent Ariel Andrade said.

Andrade said the suspects have not expressed willingness to cooperate in the investigation.

Ynchausti and the three other suspects were the last persons seen with Durolfo in Room 812 of Solaire’s Sky Tower 2 building on Aseana Boulevard on Feb. 26, police said.

Andrade said although the suspects have submitted their affidavits to the hotel’s security office, they have yet to appear before the police to submit their sworn statements.

The Southern Police District (SPD) on Friday filed murder charges against the suspects with the city prosecutor’s office based on the results of an autopsy on the victim, which showed that Durolfo died of asphyxia by strangulation.

Superintendent Bonnie Chua, head of the SPD crime laboratory, signed the autopsy report dated March 3.

Andrade explained that they filed murder and not homicide raps against the suspects as there was evident use of strength in the victim’s death.

“Let the city prosecutor’s office determine if there is probable cause,” he said.

Police said Durolfo was assaulted in Room 812 of the hotel before the suspects brought her to the San Juan de Dios Hospital, where probers found the victim unconscious, with bruises all over her body.

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

Durolfo was declared dead at 2:50 p.m. on Feb. 26, police said.

Evangel told police that Ynchausti had asked for her forgiveness.

Ynchausti reportedly said they took tablets of ecstacy, a party drug.

He said Durolfo became wild until she had difficulty breathing, prompting them to take her to the hotel clinic.