TWO weeks after architect Vlanche Marie Laruan Bragas was found dead in Dacudao, Calinan District in Davao City on May 17, 2023, her death still remains a mystery.
The Davao City Police Office (DCPO) still has not yet identified any suspect responsible for the death of the girl who was raped and killed, according to the results of the medico-legal.
Recently, the Police Regional Office (PRO)-Davao said that there are five persons of interest (POIs) in relation to the crime. However, based on the information that came out from a reliable informant that the suspected individuals tested negative on the saliva testing.
NBI-Semro investigates
Based on the ongoing investigation conducted by the Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) Bragas, which was established by the Davao City Police Office (DCPO), the National Bureau of Investigation-Southeastern Mindanao Regional Office (NBI-Semro) in Davao City also conducted its own investigation.
Lawyer Arcelito Albao, NBI-Semro Regional Director, said they launched a legitimate operation regarding a man who tested positive in their drug test-buy, which resulted in the successful arrest of a certain Empoy from Calinan.
Evidence of illegal drugs and guns were found in his possession during the operation, Albao said.
The NBI official said Empoy is seen as one of the persons of interest in the death of Bragas.
The arrested suspect is currently under the custody of the NBI-Davao. His wife, however, belied the allegation, claiming that the NBI-Davao "planted" the evidence obtained from her husband's possession, and that he was just a tour guide for the climbers. in Mt. Apo is innocent and has nothing to do with the death of Bragas.
Another missing in Calinan?
Meanwhile, a 23-year-old single man from Calinan Davao City was also reported missing.
However, on Monday, May 29, he appeared to the police at the Talomo Police Station after the rescuers rescued him.
"Sa interview sa pulis ngadto kaniya, iyang giingon nga gidagit siya sa mga lalaki sa Calinan, gitalian ang mga kamot, gitaptapan og packaging tape ug gikulata human siyang gipasanginlan nga usa sa mga suspek sa paglugos ug pagpatay kang Architect Vlanche Marie Bragas, nakaikyas siya sakay sa usa ka sakyanan," Police Major Noel Villahermosa, Police Station 3 Chief.
Another person went missing, still in Calinan, following Bragas' death. The missing individual is an 18-year-old man who was allegedly abducted and forced into a gray SUV in Purok 1, Barangay Lacson Calinan around 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 27, according to a Facebook post of one Analou Espinosa Chaves.
The 18-year-old's mother was reportedly worried because her son's birthday is on Sunday, May 28, which is why she keeps going back and forth to the Calinan Police Station to ask for an update on her son's disappearance.
DCPO's side
According to DCPO director Police Col. Alberto Lupaz, authorities are still investigating whether the missing in Calinan are connected to the Bragas rape slay.
"Ato pa ning giimbestigahan kay usahay naay mga guilty nga mga tawo mo-declare dayon og mga ingon ana... basin gulity gyod sila? Sa Pagkakaron nagpadayon pa kita sa pag-imbestiga sa maong hitabo," Lupaz said in an interview on dxDC RMN Davao.
The DCPO also denied that they are responsible for the Facebook post regarding the color yellow ongbak along with the use of the hotline number of the DCPO.
The Calinan Police, meanwhile, continues to track the ongbak units that are running in the Poblacion area and the surrounding areas.
It was previously reported that there was a "human skull" with horns on a sticker affixed to the ongbak that Bragas was riding, according to the closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera footage.
PRO-Davao to solve the case
Meanwhile, PRO-Davao assured the case will be solved as soon as possible, and that the people should not worry because of their continued tight security in the city and the entire region.
Accordingly, DCPO launched the Patrol Region One led by PRO-Davao director Gen. Alden Delvo, who aimed to further develop their patrolling to strengthen law and order in the city. JPC