Probe on Mollenido murder case reset

MANILA, Philippines — The preliminary investigation into the killing of policewoman Diane Mollenido and her eight-year-old son, John Ysmael, hit a snag yesterday after the counsel of the alleged masterminds withdrew from representing the suspects.

Maj. Jennifer Gannaban, spokesperson for the Quezon City Police District, said the lawyer for Pia Katrina Panganiban and her husband Christian, who is a former police officer, withdrew from the case.

The city prosecutor assigned a lawyer for the Panganiban couple from the Public Attorney’s Office.

The preliminary hearing was rescheduled to Feb. 16, Gannaban told reporters.

Gannaban said they were not able to get an explanation on why the couple’s counsel refused to represent them in the case.

Gannaban also confirmed that the couple’s helper Gil Dy, who was also tagged as a suspect, is applying to become a state witness.

Dy was the one who allegedly assisted the Panganibans in disposing of the bodies of Mollenido and her son in Pulilan, Bulacan and Victoria, Tarlac.

The couple, Dy and Maribel Panganiban are facing charges of robbery with homicide and theft.