ILIGAN CITY – A man allegedly killed his girlfriend and raped her 13-year-old daughter in Sitio Panadtaran, Barangay Gumagamot, Lala, Lanao del Norte on January 5.

DELOS SANTOS (Contributed photo by Michael Navarro)
Initial investigation conducted by the Lala Municipal Police Station led by officer-in-charge Police Major Ronald Angelo Rivel said the suspect, Juvy delos Santos, of Purok Bumvil, Sugod, Tukuran, Zamboanga del Sur, a fish cage guard, brought the victim, Vergie Sande Erana, and her daughter to a fish cage on the sea on board a fishing boat following an altercation due to jealousy.
Delos Santos, who was allegedly drunk, strangled Erana to death using a rope and dumped her body on the sea.
The suspect raped Erana’s daughter and took her to their house and threatened to kill her if she squeals about the incident.
"So hinatid niya pauwi sa bahay ang bata, late na nagsabi ang bata na ni-rape siya at kung saan ang mama niya (The suspect took the victim home and later revealed that she was raped and her mother was killed)," Rivel said.
Erana's body was found on Saturday morning, January 6, and was taken to a government hospital where she was declared dead.
Police arrested the suspect, a member of the Batang Mindanao 29 gang, during a manhunt operation in Barangay Maraya, Vincenzo Sagun, Zamboanga del Sur on January 6.
Delos Santos faces charges of murder and rape with no bail recommended.
The suspect had been in jail for frustrated murder in Tukuran.
"Frustrated murder kasi may binugbog siya at hinampas ng bato sa ulo, na-filan ng kaso frustrated murder at nakulong siya (He was jailed for frustrated murder because he hit someone with a rock in the head and later beat him up),” said Rivel.
Rivel called on parents not to easily trust nor entrust your children to people you just knew.
“Pag-ingatan natin ang ating mga anak, kapag oras na o alanganin na sa oras, huwag na natin palabasin ang mga bata (Let us watch over our children. Never let them out during ungodly hour)," he said.