QCPD sees no foul play yet in case of missing bride-to-be

The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) said it has yet to see any indication of foul play in the disappearance of a bride-to-be who has been missing since Wednesday last week.

According to Marisol Abdurahman’s report on 24 Oras on Tuesday, Mark Arjay Reyes and Sherra De Juan were supposed to exchange vows on December 14. Instead, Reyes was left holding only the wedding gown his missing bride was meant to wear on their special day.

“Nag-message siya sa akin agad na pupunta siya ng FCM to buy bridal shoes po. Sabi niya sa akin doon na lang siya bibili para makamura daw po,” Reyes said.

“Then around 1:18 p.m., nag-message na siya sa akin na iiwan daw niya yung cellphone niya, pupunta na siya ng FCM, icha-charge niya lang daw po sandali.”

(She messaged me saying she was going to FCM to buy bridal shoes. She said she would buy them there to save money. Then around 1:18 p.m., she messaged me saying she would leave her cellphone behind, that she was heading to FCM, and that she would just charge the phone for a while.)

CCTV footage showed De Juan outside their house, while another video captured her on her way to a transportation terminal.

“Wala po kaming away especially during that day. Ayaw ko naman po sanang isipin, Sir, na may nanguha sa kanya o ano. Kasi hindi naman po kami yung pamilya na may pera,” Reyes said.

(We didn’t have any arguments, especially that day. I don’t want to think that someone took her or anything like that because we are not a family with money.)

Reyes and his family are coordinating with the Women and Children’s Protection Desk of the QCPD station.

Police also obtained another CCTV footage taken on Saturday morning along Commonwealth Avenue showing a woman boarding a bus. Authorities believe it could be the missing bride.

“Sumakay siya ng isang bus kaya po ngayong araw hinahanap po ‘yun at binigyan natin ng iba’t ibang tasking ang mga follow-up natin,” said QCPD District Director Colonel Glen Silvio.

(She boarded a bus, so today we are tracking it and have assigned different follow-up tasks.)

De Juan’s cellphone has been turned over to authorities. Police, however, are looking into why she left the device behind.

“Ang explanation ng partner niya, dalawang beses nang na-misplace yung cellphone kaya’t iniwan,” Silvio said.

(Her partner explained that she had misplaced her cellphone twice before, which was why she left it.)

“Maga-apply po tayo ng cyber warrant sa mga numbers ni Ms. Sherra para makita natin kung sino ang huling nakausap niya,” he added.

(We will apply for a cyber warrant for Ms. Sherra’s phone numbers so we can determine who she last communicated with.)

Police have also taken custody of De Juan’s laptop, which will undergo forensic examination.

The special investigation team has summoned De Juan’s brother, Mark, as well as her best friend for questioning.

For now, authorities said they do not see any indication of foul play.

“Unless na makita talaga natin sa pagsakay o pagbaba niya na merong kasama siyang medyo threatening sa kanya,” Silvio said.

(Unless we see in the footage that she boarded or alighted the bus with someone who appeared threatening.)

“Sa trabaho nila, wala namang threatening doon kasi mga regular employees lang sila. Tinanong din natin kung may kaaway, wala rin dahil mga ordinaryong mamamayan lang sila,” he added.

(At their workplaces, there were no threats since they are just regular employees. We also asked if they had any enemies, and there were none.)

The QCPD appealed to De Juan to immediately contact her parents if she is simply on vacation or elsewhere.

“Kung nagbakasyon lang siya o may pinuntahan lang, sana makontak niya agad ang mga magulang niya para hindi na mag-alala,” Silvio said.

(If she is just on vacation or went somewhere else, she should contact her parents immediately so they will no longer worry.)—Vince Angelo Ferreras/MCG, GMA Integrated News