NAGA CITY--- Police investigators have indicted three suspects including a ranking policeman in the alleged murder of Edelyn Opiana, a nurse rendering “loyalty service” at the Bicol Medical Center.

        In the murder complaint filed before the city prosecution office, the suspects were identified as Rubirosa Alimagno, 37, of Barangay Lourdes Young, Nabua, Camarines Sur; Senior Police Officer I Roneldon Andres Oida of Barangay San Miguel, also in Nabua; and Carmencita Bearis, 64, of Princeton St., Monterey Village, Concepcion Pequeña, Naga City.

        Alimagno is the niece of Bearis, who was the landlady of the victim.

        SP01 Hernandez is an investigator from the municipal police of Nabua assigned in the intelligence/ theft and robbery Section.

        The complaint was filed by Elizabeth Opiana, the victim’s mother, who alleged that her daughter was killed by the suspects between 12 midnight to 5:45 in the morning of August 20 in her boarding house, which was owned by suspect Bearis.

        The complaint was forwarded to the city prosecution office by Police Officer III Dominador Abias, and endorsed by City Police Director Edwin Jose G. Nemenzo.

        Witnesses included investigators Police Officer III Henry V. Carmona Jr., and Police Officers I Joel E. Anonuevo, and Bernie P. Nilo.

        City Health Officer Dr. Vito C. Borja, Police Chief Inspector Ariel L. Ayusip, and Police Inspector Edcel E. Villalobos also testified.

Spotless crime scene

        Investigators reported that no bloodstain was found in the crime scene, and that the victim’s body already had been covered with cloth when the killing was discovered.

        Investigators also reported that while conducting investigation, they noticed a man who was found out later to be the suspect SPO1 Oida.

        Allegedly, Oida was directing the police investigators and was telling them on what process and procedures they should do in checking up the crime scene.

        He also was giving his side, reportedly, on how the supposed perpetrators possibly entered and exited the victim’s boarding house.

        He then asked an investigator to take footage of the crime scene.

        He only stopped intervening in the investigation upon the instruction of Camarines Sur Police Deputy Provincial Director Benedicto Pintor.

Direct participation in question

        It was learned from the victim’s mother that before the incident, her daughter called her through her phone but did not reply when she called her back.

        It was only when she was informed by a certain Eula Dycoco that she learned that her daughter was killed.

        By then, she wondered why she learned the incident from Dycoco, who was in Manila by that time, and not from her daughter’s landlady.

        Police investigators could not pinpoint the direct participation of the suspects in the crime but the suspects were indicted because they seem to be in the victim’s boarding house when the crime happened.

        Other leading circumstances allegedly pointed to them.

Other angle

        Abr witness testified that suspect Rubirosa was showing “affection” and “interest” to the victim.

        In an affidavit, the witness said that Rubirosa got mad when she learned that the victim had allowed a female classmate to sleep over in her boarding house.

        Rubirosa was said to have been jealous.

        The victim had been rendering loyalty service to Bicol Medical Center.

        Loyalty service is a two-year duty in a local hospital required by foreign employers before they hire nurses.

Reactionary measure

        The crime took place days after the killing of City Market Supervisor Paco Ojeda, and former radio broadcaster Ronaldo “Anjo” Julia, who was shot to death in nearby Magarao town.

        It was followed immediately by the killing of a saleslady in Barangay Triangulo, this city.

        The spate of killings had rattled residents and prompted reactionary measures from the city government, which included increasing police visibility in strategic areas of the city, installation of surveillance cameras, and provision of additional patrol motorcycles to law enforcers.

        Earlier, City Mayor Jesse Robredo said he believed that the spate of killings was an organized crime, adding that he would understand if the residents would overreact.

        “It is better than being complacent,” he said.