Suspect in dismembering woman faces criminal charge

CEBU. Angelie Lopez, 37, whose body parts were recovered in different parts of Cebu in October 2020. (Contributed photo)
CEBU. Angelie Lopez, 37, whose body parts were recovered in different parts of Cebu in October 2020. (Contributed photo)

THE Subangdaku Police Station in Mandaue City has filed a criminal charge against the suspect in the brutal killing of Angelie Lopez Kintanar, the woman whose body parts were recovered in different parts of Cebu last October.

The suspect was charged before the Mandaue City Prosecutor’s Office in February this year.

As of now, the local police are still waiting for the city prosecutor’s office to resolve the complaint, according to Lt. Col. Jovic Villarin, head of the Mandaue City Police Office Investigation and Detection Management Unit.

Prosecutor Mary Francis Daquipil said the Mandaue City Prosecutor’s Office is conducting a preliminary investigation.

During a preliminary investigation, Daquipil said they only provide 60 to 90 days to resolve the complaint from the time it was assigned to an investigating prosecutor.

If the suspect, respondent of the complaint, fails to submit his counter-affidavit, the investigating prosecutor can wrap up the inquiry by basing his decision on the evidence at hand and indict the suspect for a full-blown trial.

The court, to be able to conduct its trial, must bring the suspect, now an accused, by issuing a warrant of arrest.

Villarin refused to divulge the identity and the background of the suspect, including the complaint the police filed against him as these could give the suspect clues.

Villarin said they will name the suspect after the court issues the warrant of arrest.

Since it has been almost eight months since the crime, Villarin said the suspect may have already cleaned up all the evidence that could be used against him.

However, Villarin said he is confident that they have obtained strong circumstantial evidence to prove the allegations.

Ronald Lopez, brother of Angelie, asked the local media for help to fast-track the resolution of the case.

Villarin clarified that it is not that the case has had no development since the filing of the case in February, but the case has to undergo a process.

Villarin was one of the police officers who helped in the investigation conducted by the Subangdaku Police Station.

As early as December, he said, they had identified that the dismembered body parts found at Ouano Wharf and Cabahug Wharf in Mandaue City, and Butuanon River on the side of Barangay Talamban, Cebu City were those of Kintanar.

He said since there were many missing individuals, they could not pinpoint who the body belonged to yet. It was only during their laboratory examinations and crossmatching through fingerprint, DNA and dental examination that a match was found with Kintanar. (KFD)

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