Palace tells Los Baños cops to boost visibility after latest slay

Malacañang on Saturday told police in Los Baños in Laguna to heighten their visibility following the gruesome killing of a young girl in the area earlier this week.

 

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said that while the Palace expects police to investigate the case thoroughly, it should also bolster its efforts to deter crime.

 

“I’m pretty sure they are investigating this. We will again tell them to heighten police visibility in the area to prevent these crimes from happening,” she said on government-run dzRB radio.

 

She also extended the Palace’s sympathies to the family of the victim.

 

On Thursday afternoon, a teenage girl who had been missing for two weeks was found dead near a subdivision in Los Baños in Laguna province.

 

Police have taken into custody a “padyak” (tricycle) driver who was last seen with the victim. Investigators are looking into whether the victim was sexually molested.


 

 

A separate report on dzBB radio said the driver, identified as Henry Hipolito, reportedly admitted he planned to molest the victim and hit her on the head when she cried for help.

 

Earlier reports said the victim had been missing since March 1 and was the subject of searches for two weeks.

 

Valte said some areas in Los Baños, including the University of the Philippines in Los Baños, are poorly lighted and may offer opportunities for criminals.

 

“We’ll ask police to heighten visibility in that particular area to prevent this sort of (incident),” she said.  — ELR, GMA News