Missing girl found dead in school septic tank

CEBU (Updated) -- A 14-year-old girl who went missing Friday, April 5, was found dead inside a septic tank of a public elementary school in Barangay Cogon Cruz, Danao City Monday, April 8.

Police identified the victim as Tesa Marie Ygay, 14, a resident of Sitio Kamalig Bato, Barangay Tabok in Danao City.

Personnel of the Danao City Police Station are hunting down Jessie Montes Medequillo, 36, a security guard who has been accused of killing Ygay.

Police Corporal Mark Anthony Manulat of the Danao City Police Station said they received a call from a concerned citizen who noticed that the open septic tank at the back of the Cogon Cruz Integrated School reeked of a foul odor.

When police personnel went to verify the matter, they were shocked to find a young girl's body inside the septic tank.

Ygay's father, Felimon Enoy, identified his daughter based on her haircut.

Enoy told SunStar Cebu that the last time he saw his daughter was last week while she was staying with him in Lapu-Lapu City.

Enoy said he personally knew Medequillo, since he was reportedly courting his daughter.

Last month, Ygay sought her father's help after Medequillo tried to cut her hair out of jealousy.

"Giopawan niya akong anak kay para dili siya magsige'g lakaw. Kay magselos siya nga naay lain magduol-duol sa akong anak," Enoy said.

Enoy brought his daughter to the barangay to report Medequillo.

To protect her, Enoy told his daughter to stay with their relatives in Lapu-Lapu City.

But a few days after, Ygay reportedly left Lapu-Lapu City after she received a message from Medequillo, threatening to kill her if she does not return to him.

After receiving word that Ygay went back to Danao City, Enoy and his family went looking for her at the school where Medequillo was staying on Saturday, April 6.

When they got to the security guard house of the school, Medequillo and Ygay were no longer there.

But Enoy started to become anxious when he found a kitchen knife, steel pipe and stone inside the guard house, all covered in blood.

Enoy and his family immediately went to the police station to report the matter.

It was only two days later that Ygay's corpse was found at the school.

Jesaver Ygay, the victim's elder sister, told SunStar Cebu that she and her siblings knew Medequillo way back when Ygay was still 10 years old.

Medequillo would reportedly go to their house to buy clay from them to make pots.

Jesaver said the suspect had long been courting her sister before, but Ygay would often refuse his advances as she treated him as a second father.

As of Monday, April 8, police are still conducting a hot pursuit operation against Medequillo, who reportedly resigned from his post as school security guard. (JKV/With reports from Allan Cuizon)