Mom, child ‘killers’ stay behind bars

CEBU, Philippines- The three men accused of killing and burying a mother and daughter inside a septic tank in Minglanilla town will remain in jail.

No bail was recommended for Manuel Labrador, Estelito Ricamora and George Baquiran who are facing charges for two counts of murder and robbery.

Formal charges were elevated to court against the three after they waived their right to answer the investigation at the prosecutor’s level.

Chief Inspector Richard Gadingan of the Minglanilla Police Station said three witnesses executed affidavits against the respondents. The witnesses were all neighbors of the victims, Virginia “Gene,” 37, and her daughter Mica Ella Sharpe, 11.

The case will become stronger, he said, if Ricamora will decide to become a state witness.

 Ricamora executed an extra-judicial confession admitting his participation in burying the victims in the septic tank in their house at Deca Homes, Barangay Tungkil, Minglanilla, Cebu, on Thursday. He alleged  Labrador was threatening him at that time.

 Robert Sharpe, the husband of the victim, and Narcisa Quilojano, the mother of the victim, were present at the prosecutor’s office when the cases were filed against the suspects.

Robert thanked the Minglanilla police for the swift investigation. He was married to Virginia for 10 years.

Some of the victims’ friends told the authorities the mother and her daughter were missing for almost a week. They suspected something bad might have happened to them because they have not been answering texts or calls.

The Minglanilla police and barangay officials then went to the house of the victims and discovered later that they were buried inside the septic tank.

For his part, Ricamora said he was at home last Sunday at past 2 p.m. when Labrador asked him to bury a dead dog. However, what he saw were two bodies inside the comfort room at the house of the victims.

Ricamora added he obliged to help Labrador because he was afraid of him and placed the bodies in the septic tank.

Meanwhile, Labrador alleged that while he and Ricamora were inside the house of Virginia, he went upstairs to continue renovating the house while Ricamora was left downstairs.

 Later, Ricamora reportedly asked him to come down and that’s when he reportedly saw the bodies of Virginia and Mica Ella.

 The two victims died from injury to the head inflicted using a hard object.

Condemnation

During its regular session yesterday, the Cebu Provincial Board approved a resolution “strongly” condemning the crime.

 “This august body strongly condemns the brutal killing of Virginia Sharpe and her 11-year-old daughter, Mica Ella Sharpe, both residents of Barangay Tungkil, Minglanilla town, Cebu and further calls on the PNP to intensify its serious campaign against illegal drugs,” reads the resolution sponsored by Board Member Julian Daan.

The resolution also called on the police to intensify its fight against illegal drugs.

“According to news sources, two of the three suspects used ‘shabu’ before they carried out the gruesome murder...This august body calls on the Philippine National Police to further intensify its campaign against illegal drugs,” the resolution said. (FREEMAN)