CAPIZ — A 34-year-old former overseas Filipino worker (OFW) was found dead inside her sibling’s home on the morning of March 3 in Barangay Taft, Tapaz, Capiz.
Authorities identified the victim as alias “Jovelyn,” a resident of Barangay Nayawan of the same town but temporarily staying in her brother’s house while he works abroad.
The grim discovery was made when Jovelyn’s younger sister, identified by the alias “Jena,” came down from the second-floor room.
Jena grew concerned when Jovelyn didn’t come out of the room for a long time, so she went to check on her, only to find her lifeless on the ground-floor bedroom floor, bearing visible signs of trauma.
Initial assessments by responding police officers revealed that Jovelyn had sustained a stab wound to her chest, which raised immediate concerns of foul play. The brutal nature of the injury suggested that a violent confrontation had occurred within the supposedly safe environment of the family home.
Tapaz police, meanwhile, said no murder weapon was found at the scene.
“As of now, fina-follow up pa namin yung SOCO (Scene of the Crime Operatives) na nagpunta dito kahapon (March 3) dahil nag-request kami ng assistance sa kanila since napansin namin dun sa area na may foul play sa nangyari dahil may nakita kaming isang tama sa katawan ng biktima at yun ang inaantay namin sa ngayon,” said Tapaz police chief Major Gregg Anthony Salbang. “Nag-request naman po kami ng doctor para mag-autopsy sa katawan ng biktima.”
He added: “Unang report, alas-10 ng umaga na may bangkay daw ng babae sa Barangay Taft and immediately nag-proceed po tayo dun. Nakita natin initially ang bangkay na nakahilata sa floor ng kwarto. At sa nakita namin, parang walang struggle na nangyari, at pabilisang nangyari.”
As of press time, police were exploring several angles in the case, including sexual assault and robbery.
“Isa sa pinaghihinalaan natin is yung… baka ginahasa yung biktima, at ito rin ang hinihinay nating resulta sa autopsy kung may nangyari talagang ganun at iba pang tama sa ibang katawan niya na dahilan ng kanyang pagkamatay,” Salbang stated. “Nakita ng investigator na ang underwear niya ay hindi properly nakasuot,” he stressed.
He continued: “Isa pa sa napansin natin yun (theft) kasi nawawala yung cellphone niya. Ini-embistagahan pa natin ang ibang anggulo kung sa labas or likod siya dumaan, kasi ang window ng kwarto ay sliding at posibleng baka hindi naka-lock.”
Community members, meanwhile, expressed deep shock and sorrow, remembering Jovelyn as a devoted individual who sacrificed to work in Kuwait for her family’s future./PN
