A POLICE official revealed that the 70-year-old woman, who is being tagged as the primary suspect in the murder of the 29-year-old house helper in Cabantian, Davao City has an existing heart condition problem.
This was revealed by Police Major Joenel Pederio, Buhangin Police Station chief, after it was found that the suspect Nenita Cepada Pagatpatan had heart disease, resulting in the latter shaking and having difficulty breathing when they interrogated her.
According to the official, they were afraid that Pagatpatan would have a heart attack, so they rushed her to the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) during her first night in the detention facility on Monday, June 19, 2023.
"Mahadlok ta'g basin madisgrasya, mao tong naghimo ta og mga laing pang mga pamaagi atol sa atong interogasyon (We don’t want accidents to happen, so we will have to be careful with how we interrogate her)," Pederio said.
After the murder case was filed against the septuagenarian on Tuesday, June 20, 2023, the Buhangin Police still have not returned to Pagatpatan's house.
"Dili pa nato masulod, kay ag iyang anak kining si Kathreen maoy nag-asikaso sa mga panginahanglan sa iyang mama kay siya ra ang masugo (We cannot visit her. Her daughter, Kathreen, is the one running the errands right now)," the police official said.
The cadaver of the helper, identified as Shiela Han-ay Lagsaway, was dumped on the side of the road, Sunday morning, June 18, 2023 at Block 20, Lot 44, Deca Homes, Cabantian, Buhangin.
The police had initially recovered pieces of Manila paper, papers used to wipe the blood from the victim's bleeding body, which was thrown inside a trash bag within the suspect's residence.
According to the official, the results of the examination of the fingerprints found on the paper and the results of the autopsy conducted by the funeral parlor have not yet been released.
The findings of the results would be helpful in the ongoing investigation, which would lead to the culprit behind the crime, the police said.
"Wala pa migawas ang results sa atong examination, nagpadayon pa gyod ta sa imbestigasyon, sa oras nga mogawas na kini, if ever motugma sa mga fingerprints sa atong primary suspect, ayha pa nato maingon nga case-closed, but so far, wala pa, padayon pa kita sa investigation, bisan ang autopsy results gihulat pa nato, makatabang kining duha sa eksaminasyon sa atong imbestigasyon The results are not out yet. We continue to conduct investigation but once the results are out and the fingerprints match that of the primary suspect, then we can say the case has been closed. The autopsy results and the fingerprint will help pinpoint the suspect)," Pederio said.
The victim's body has been laid to rest by his family and his relatives in Don Marcelino, Davao Occidental.
Meanwhile, in the latest report on Wednesday afternoon, the suspect's house has been cordoned by the police and is being closely guarded to prevent entry.
According to the report, the Buhangin Police have already applied for a search warrant so that they can enter the house and scout for other valuable evidence. JPC