Suspect admits to killing saleslady

THE suspect in the brutal murder of a 27-year-old saleslady in a mall in Cebu City in her boarding house last Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, has confessed to the crime.

Darren Somosot Cui, 25, a neighbor of the victim, was first apprehended by the Abellana and Inayawan police stations on Saturday, Aug. 3, after being reported armed in Barangay Sambag 2, Cebu City.

Cui claimed that on Friday, past 7 a.m., he entered the room of the victim, Charina Relativo, and her live-in partner, Jungie Enriquez. Relativo was reportedly intoxicated.

Upon entering the room, he found Relativo taking a shower with the bathroom door open. He then dragged her out.

Cui claimed that his initial plan was to have sexual intercourse with Relativo, but she refused. Cui said he embraced Relativo, but because she was naked and her body was still wet, they both fell onto the concrete floor. He then strangled her.

Cui believed that Relativo had only fainted after he locked her neck with his arm. He clarified that he did not sexually assault her, as he was confused about what to do next.

He said he took a butane burner, intending to burn the victim, but decided instead to set her hair on fire, hoping the flames would spread to the foam mattress, creating enough smoke for others to think Relativo had fainted from the smoke. He hoped this would cover up his crime.

“I confessed because I felt guilty,” he said in Cebuano.

Murder case

Police Colonel Antonietto Cañete, acting Cebu City Police director, said they would file murder charges against Cui on Wednesday, Aug. 7.

Cañete said that for now, only Cui would be charged, as they found no evidence of accomplices.

The police are also awaiting the results of the autopsy to determine if there was any sexual assault, despite Cui’s claim that he did not molest the victim.

If rape is confirmed, they will amend the initial charges to rape with homicide. The death certificate issued by the Medico-Legal Officer of the PNP Forensic Unit 7 indicated that the victim died of asphyxia by manual strangulation.

Cebu City Acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia, who personally visited the police camp in Cebu City to see the suspect, praised the police for swiftly solving the crime.

However, he challenged Cañete to ensure that justice is served in court. / AYB, WBS