CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Angeles City Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan has joined the clamor of the family of Tania Camille Dee for justice in the slaying of a 33-year-old bank teller of Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation in Divisoria, Manila.
Dee was found buried in a shallow grave at the backyard of a residence inside Lilian Street, Sta. Maria Subdivision in Barangay Balibago, Angeles City on June 28, nine days after she reportedly met her ex- husband Fidel Sheldon Arcenas on whom relatives said would give the victim a car.
Still clad in a striped shirt and denim pants, Dee was exhumed by authorities with a towel and trash bag around her head which bore a gunshot wound at the back.
“I am asking our colleagues in government including those in the national government to assist in solving this crime. Let us not protect the principal suspect. He can defend himself if he is innocent. Justice must be served," said Pamintuan in a text message to Sun.Star Pampanga.
The mayor said he condemns in the strongest words possible the murder of Dee.
“I have been in close coordination with the chief of the Angeles City Police, Col. Eden Ugale and Chief Inspector Ferdinand Aguilar since the time Ms. Dee went missing," Pamintuan said.
Pamintuan said that when Dee’s body was found buried in a shallow grave in Sta. Maria Village, Barangay Balibago, he immediately gave the instruction to arrest all suspects.
“However, it seems that the principal suspect is nowhere to be found or is being cuddled by people close to him," he said.
He added: “The father of the suspect, Fidel Arcenas, is known to me personally but I have not seen or talked to him since 1998, when he started working with then Pampanga Governor Lito Lapid. I believe Mr. Arcenas is still closely connected with the Lapids and is in fact working with the senator’s son, Mark Lapid, at Tieza."
"I am asking Mr. Arcenas now to help us by asking his son to voluntarily surrender, if he knows his whereabouts or has contact with him.”
An option of the City Government, Pamintuan said, is to offer a reward of P100,000 to the person who can provide information that will lead to the arrest of the suspect.
“For any information leading to the arrest of the principal suspect, I can be reached at mobile number 09178112642 or they can visit me anytime at my house at Villa Angelina, Angeles City or my office at city hall,” he added.
For her part, Dee’s mother Liza said “Sana makusensiya siya dahil may mga anak si Tania at siya lamang ang nasasandalan naming. Hustisya ang panawagan namin.”
In a separate interview with GMA News, she said Tania was a kind and thoughtful daughter, even if she is a single mother.
"Wala na akong ginagastos sa bahay. Sagot na niya lahat. Kaya sabi ko, nawalan na ako ng isang masasandalan kasi nga wala kaming padre de pamilya, kami-kami lang," she said.
The Dee family, in the same interview, expressed hopes that the conscience of whoever killed Tania will be awakened and justice will be served.
Meanwhile, netizens from across the world have expressed their sympathies and clamor for justice for Dee in the Facebook page “Justice for Tania.” (JTD/Sun.Star Pampanga)