Cops still clueless on who abducted suspects in rape-slay of Bragas

The police are still clueless on the persons who abducted Kent Laurence Metegreto Espinosa and Dennis Roy Panzan, who are among the suspects in the rape-slay of 28-year-old Architect Vlanche Marie Bragas here.

Police Major Catherine dela Rey, Davao City Police Office (DCPO) spokesperson, said in an interview at the sidelines of

I-Speak Media Conference on Thursday that investigation is still ongoing to determine the identities of those behind their abduction.

The 18-year-old Panzan, a resident of Purok 7 in Barangay Lacson, was reported missing at 9:30 a.m. of May 27, while Espinosa, 26, meat vendor, a resident of Purok 18, Megaville Street, Calinan, at 3:30 p.m. of the same day. she convinced Vice President Sara Duterte to run as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s running mate in last year’s national elections.

At 8:05 a.m. of May 29, Panzan was found in Matina Pangi, but he died an hour later at the Davao Adventist hospital, the police reported earlier.

“We cannot dismiss the fact that they are also victims because they were abducted. We are still conducting an investigation,” dela Rey said.

In an event, Marcos affirmed Duterte’s narration of the events that led to her vice-presidency.

“Totoo lahat ng sinabi ni Vice President Sara, subalit hindi ko na inisip na angkinin pa o pag-usapan pa dahil ang mahalaga nanalo naman ang dalawa na malalapit sa akin. Ang aking kapatid at ang kinakapatid ko na turing si Inday Sara,” the senator said.

Duterte in an event on Wednesday narrated Sen. Marcos’ role in convincing her to run for vice president and her decision-making process, and how the senator coined the tandem’s moniker of UniTeam.

“So tumakbo si President Bongbong Marcos and then natapos na, sarado na yung filing of candidacy ... I think it was after or some 5 days after nagtext sa akin si Sen. Imee Marcos minessage niya ako and she said pwede bang ikaw na lang ang tumakbo ng vice president?” the eldest daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte said.

“I told her let me just talk to my mother and my family about running for vice president and then kinausap ko yung pamilya. It was very important to me na makuha ko yung suporta ng nanay ko and when she gave that support, she gave me her all out support, bumalik ako kay Sen. Imee, I said na pwede ko ba kayong makausap ni Pres. Bongbong. So si Sen. Imee and Sen. Bongbong, we talked online lang,” she recalled.

BACKGROUND

Duterte’s speech mirrored her published statement rebuking a public statement by Cavite congressman Elpidio Barzaga, who credited House Speaker Martin Romualdez for “tremendously helping in pushing” for her vice presidential candidacy.

Barzaga claimed that Romualdez became close to the Vice President because he was among those who convinced her to run for the post under the UniTeam ticket. The House Speaker is a first cousin of Sen. Imee and President Marcos Jr.

He made the statement due to Duterte’s remark in a speech last Monday, where she mentioned she will no longer mention the President’s middle initial “R”, which is Romualdez.

He also referred to the Vice President’s social media post wherein Duterte reportedly posted a cryptic message on her social media accounts which read, “In your ambition, do not be tambaloslos.”

Tambaloslos is a “mythical creature with a large mouth and penis found in Visayan, Bicolano and Mindanao folklore”, Barza-

FIMEE, P10