Pinoy suspect in luxury cruise murder case identified

The Philippine embassy in London has identified the Filipino seafarer who was allegedly killed by a fellow Filipino seaman following a fight aboard the luxury cruise ship Queen Mary II last week, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said yesterday.

The DFA said the suspect, Rodolfo Juangca, was also identified by the embassy in its report to the DFA.

Philippine Ambassador to London Edgardo Espiritu also said in his report that the Hampshire Police had allowed embassy representatives to meet with Juangca, who was detained and being investigated in the death of fellow seafarer Joel Tagaan last May 12.

Espiritu said the Hampshire Police formally arrested Juangca on Wednesday when the ship docked at its home port of Southampton.

Consular assistance will be provided to the 49-year-old suspect. Juangca is now in police custody at the Lyndhurst Police Station in Hampshire.

Embassy representatives were scheduled to meet yesterday with Julie Mortimer of the Hampshire Police, and Mr. Devereux, representative of Cunard Line and owner of the UK-registered Queen Mary II, at Southampton on the arrangements to meet Juangca at the police station and advise him of his legal rights under United Kingdom laws as well as provide other consular assistance. — Pia Lee-Brago