CEBU CITY – A jeepney driver was arrested for killing a woman passenger who allegedly bit his tongue when he tried to kiss her in Barangay Subangdaku, Mandaue.
The victim’s body was found at the South Road Properties (SRP) here on Tuesday, Nov. 19.
Confronted by the victim’s furious relatives, Godofredo Brufal, 35, admitted killing Neca Denise Lagria, 22.
Brufal was arrested by the Mambaling Police Station in Barangay Sab-a, San Remigio town, northern Cebu at dawn Thursday, Nov. 21.
Police learned that the suspect’s tongue was cut off after it was bitten by the victim.
Prior to the killing, the victim rode the multicab on her way to work, but she later fell asleep inside the vehicle.
The suspect admitted attempting to kiss the victim who fought back by biting the suspect’s tongue.
At the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) headquarters where the victim’s relatives angrily confronted him, the suspect admitted choking the woman to death. He denied raping the victim.
The suspect then drove to the SRP where she abandoned the woman’s body.
Police also recovered the victim’s cell phone from the suspect’s possession.
Police Major Efren Diaz Jr., chief of the Mambaling police, said the suspect was tracked down after the multicab was intercepted in Consolacion town, Cebu.
Police initially arrested the driver of the multicab Jason Cullamat, a nephew of Brufal.
Cullamat denied involvement in the crime and told the police that it was his uncle who drove the multicab on the day that the killing happened.
Diaz said a backtracking of security camera footage enabled them to identify the perpetrator.
Police also recovered the victim’s belongings in the garage of the multicab.
Police later learned that the suspect is facing eight cases of acts of lasciviousness.
The suspect admitted that the victim boarded the multicab in Barangay Yati, Liloan on Tuesday morning.
The victim, who sat on the front seat, was on her way to Mandaue City where she worked as a cashier of a restaurant.
The suspect admitted the crime happened when they passed by a secluded area in Barangay Subangdaku, Mandaue.
The victim’s family thanked the police for the immediate arrest of the suspect.
Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia met with the victim’s relatives at the CCPO headquarters and gave them financial assistance.
Garcia promised to give a commendation to the Mambaling police for the quick arrest of the suspect.
“There are several possibilities of cases the suspect might be facing,” said Police Col. Antonietto Cañete, chief of CCPO.
Depending on the result of the examination on the victim’s body, the suspect could be charged with rape with homicide, said Cañete.
If the victim was already dead when her belongings were taken, the suspect may be charged with homicide and theft.
If the victim was still alive when her belongings were stolen, the suspect would be charged with robbery with homicide, Cañete said. (Calvin Cordova)
