Senior Inspector Jennifer Cruz, police provincial information officer, identified the suspects as Ricky Rendora, 49; Rommel Ponio, 38; and Melchor Zapanta, 45. The fourth is still at-large.
Rendora said victim was his niece while Ponio is live-in-partner of the victim’s mother who claimed she helped the four to be employed at a company inside the Subic Freeport.
“They were brought by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group for inquest at the provincial prosecutor’s offi ce in Balanga City for cases of rape with homicide,” the police PIO said.
She said that Senior Supt. Benjamin Silo, Jr., Bataan police director, ordered CIDG and the police provincial intelligence and investigation branch for a thorough investigation after the body of Angelique Charlote Bulatao was discovered dead last January 30.
A resident found the body tied with a cord and hanging from a tree and almost in state of decomposition some 600 meters away from their house, Cruz said.
Angelique, 21, was eldest daughter of Aeta woman Rhodora Bulatao, 39, of Sitio Pastulan in Barangay Tipo, Hermosa and a Chinese.
Cruz said the suspects were identified by the mother. She said that based on investigation, the mother had a drinking spree with the four suspects late night of January 27, 2017.
“Naramdaman ng ina na may commotion sa kuwarto ng bahay nila at may mga lalaking nagtatalo at may babaing umiiyak pero lasing na lasing ang ina kaya hindi na pinansin,” Cruz said.
Rhodora identified the four suspects as the ones who molested and killed her daughter. “Pinatulog nila ako pero sa mata ko nakikita ko ang ginagawa nila sa anak ko,” the mother said crying.
As to how her daughter was brought to a ravine and hanged from a tree, she could not tell.”Wala na akong malay,” she said, adding “pinagplanuhan nila.”
“Gusto ko mabigyan ng katarungan ang ginawa nila sa anak ko,” the mother said. She said she helped the four be employed with Solar, a power company at the Subic Bay Freeport.
Rendora and Zapanta said they work in the electrical department of the company while Ponio serves as company driver.
The suspects denied committing the crime.
“Pamangkin ko yon, hindi ko magagawa yon,” Rendora said. He said that victim’s mother and his wife are sisters.
“Sana ayusin muna ang imbestigasyon,” said Ponio, live-in-partner of the victim’s mother.
“Hindi ko kilala ang babae,” Zapanta said.
