ILOILO City — Police have filed a robbery with homicide case against a 34-year-old former construction worker following his arrest in an entrapment operation that led to the resolution of the killing of an 89-year-old woman in Ledesco Village, La Paz district.
The Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) identified the suspect as Jerry Monahan Lima, who was arrested on June 28 at Oton plaza in Oton, Iloilo, during an operation targeting the alleged illegal sale of a firearm. Operatives apprehended Lima after he allegedly attempted to sell a gun to an undercover police officer.
Authorities said Lima was the suspect in the killing of Virginia Inayan, 89, on May 24, 2026. Investigators alleged that Lima, a former worker at the victim’s family-owned construction supply business, strangled Inayan, stole her valuables, and dragged her body inside the residence.
Police said the crime was captured by the home’s closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera, which was being remotely monitored by the victim’s child in the United States. The footage provided investigators with crucial evidence that helped identify the suspect.
The entrapment operation was conducted by the ICPO’s Intelligence Unit, with assistance from personnel from Iloilo City Police Stations 2 and 5, the Oton Municipal Police Station, and the Iloilo Police Provincial Office’s Explosives and Ordnance Disposal Unit.
In addition to the robbery with homicide case, authorities are preparing charges against Lima for violations of Republic Act (RA) No. 10591, or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act, and RA No. 9516 for illegal possession of explosives after police recovered a firearm, ammunition, a hand grenade, and other items during the operation.
ICPO director Col. Wilbert Parilla said the arrest underscores the police’s continuing efforts to track down fugitives.
“Justice may take time, but it will never be denied. This operation shows that law enforcement will continue to track down fugitives until they are brought before the courts,” Parilla said.
He also urged persons facing criminal charges to surrender peacefully, stressing that police operations against wanted individuals will continue.
Following Lima’s arrest, local authorities and the Iloilo City Government awarded a P50,000 cash reward to the informant whose tip led to the suspect’s capture./PN
