Male texter could have ignited lovers' quarrel

CEBU, Philippines - The strongest angle the Cebu City Police Office investigators are looking into in the killing of a female call center agent allegedly by her live-in partner is nothing but love triangle.

PO3 Geoffrey Gutual of the CCPO Homicide Section said that they cannot see any other angle except for love triangle on the death of Ana Marie Nuez.

Nuez, 28, of Albay province in the Bicol region was reportedly stabbed to death by her live-in partner, Von Eric Moyo, 28, before taking his own life last Saturday dawn in Saint Lawrence Street, La Guardia, barangay Lahug.

Gutual said that the angle they are now focusing on is based also on the accounts of two boardmates of the victim.

As reported, the couple some time last week was seen having an argument after Moyo confronted Nuez over a text message he read on her cellular phone reportedly from a male sender.

During the investigation, the police tried to open the cell phone of Nuez that they recovered from the crime scene to check the content of its menu (inbox, sent items, call register, etc.) but it cannot be opened because of a PUK or a system lock.

They also checked on the other mobile phone they recovered from the crime scene, owned by Moyo, but the only message they understood was, “Bâ, 2 a.m. na. Uwi na po.” This was when Moyo texted Nuez to come home already after the latter asked permission from him around 8 p.m. that night to leave to meet an officemate.

Gutual said that when they checked the sent items of Moyo’s cell phone, Nuez answered, “Okay.”

Gutual said that they could no longer decipher the rest of the text messages from Moyo’s phone since those were already in the Bicolano dialect.

He said that they are also waiting for the family of both parties to go to their office and cooperate with them and have the text messages translated to languages the police could understand.

However, Gutual said, both families of the victims still did not cooperate with them as well as to claim the items they recovered from the crime scene such as the two cell phones, the wallet owned by Nuez, and the four kitchen knives.

Gutual said that if the families cooperate with them in the investigation, they will submit the cell phones to the National Telecommunications Commission for an examination, otherwise, the case will be considered closed.

Both bodies were taken to the San Fernando Funeral Homes after the incident but as of yesterday, the body of Nuez was transferred to the La Purisima Chapel at Ucma Village in Lahug.

According to the personnel of the said funeral homes, Moyo’s body was set transported through a plane yesterday evening for Albay.

The reporters tried to get the side of Moyo’s mother but she refused to give any comments.

The FREEMAN also tried to get the side of the family of Nuez through the latter’s boardmate and close friend, Jude Fuertes, who also serves as the witness to the crime, but also yielded negative.

Fuertes, in a text message sent to The FREEMAN, said: “We will no longer answer interviews… I am sorry but we want peace now. Ayaw ko ng gulo, kasi magulo na isip ko sa trahedya. Hope you understand.”

It was not also verified as to who will keep the one-year-old baby of Nuez and Moyo, but police surmised the baby is now in the welfare of Nuez’ family.

As reported, the couple allegedly stabbed each other dead during a heated argument inside their rented house.

Fuertes reportedly saw Moyo stabbed Nuez several times before stabbing himself several times also.

A kitchen knife was found stuck on the back of Moyo during crime scene investigation, believed to have been stabbed by Nuez. — Niña G. Sumacot/MEEV (THE FREEMAN)