Lawyer of suspects in policewoman, son killing withdraws from case —QCPD

The lawyer of the couple, who are among the suspects behind the killings of Police Senior Master Sergeant Diane Marie Mollenido and her eight-year-old son John Ysmael, has withdrawn from the case.

In a phone interview, Quezon City Police District (QCPD) spokesperson Police Major Jennifer Gannaban told reporters that the preliminary investigation into the suspects did not proceed on Wednesday due to the change of legal counsel.

“Kanina nga pong umaga, February 11, naka-schedule po yung preliminary investigation noong suspects dito sa Mollenido case. However, hindi po ito natuloy dahil nag-withdraw po yung counsel nila,” she said.

(This morning, February 11, was the schedule for the preliminary investigation of the suspects in the Mollenido case. However, it did not proceed because their counsel withdrew.)

“Kaya nag-avail po ng [Public Attorney’s Office] lawyer itong mag-asawang suspect na ito,” she added.

(So the suspect couple availed themselves of a lawyer from the Public Attorney’s Office.)

The new schedule for the preliminary investigation into the couple is on February 16, according to Gannaban.

On January 24, Diane’s body was found along Pulilan Bypass Road in Barangay Dulong Malabon, Pulilan, Bulacan. It sustained a gunshot wound to the head.

Five days later on January 29, Ysmael’s body was found at a calamansi farm along a farm-to-market road in Barangay Maluid, Victoria, Tarlac. 

The two were killed following a botched car sale transaction in Quezon City on January 16, according to investigators.

A complaint for two counts of robbery with homicide and theft has been filed with the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office against three suspects including a car agent, her partner, and an accomplice.

Another female suspect, the sister of the car agent’s husband, recently surrendered to authorities.

A complaint for obstruction of justice has been filed against Diane’s ex-husband, Police Senior Master Sergeant John Mollenido, who is still considered a person of interest in the case. —RF, GMA Integrated News