SILG Remulla: Car dealer, partner behind deaths of policewoman, son

The car dealer and her partner were behind the deaths of Police Senior Master Sergeant Diane Marie Mollenido and her eight-year-old son, John Ysmael, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said on Tuesday.

At a press conference, DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla said the sister of the car agent’s partner and another accomplice are also considered suspects in the case.

Authorities are still looking into the possible involvement of Diane’s husband, Police Senior Master Sergeant John Mollenido, who is being treated as a person of interest, Remulla said.

“Ayon sa aming imbestigasyon, considered case closed na ito at charges will be filed,” Remulla said.

Investigators found that the killings stemmed from a botched vehicle sale transaction worth about P450,000 inside the house of the agent in Quezon City.

Instead of giving the money to Diane, the agent’s husband shot the policewoman.

Remulla said Ysmael was brought to a room where the suspects wrapped his head with plastic bag until the boy died of suffocation.

Aside from the couple, the two other suspects were also present when the crime happened. The three children of the couple aged six, eight, and 10 were in their room during this time.

The accomplice helped the couple to dispose the bodies of the victims, according to Remulla.

Remulla said the couple told their children that their family were going to Baguio City for a vacation but along the way, the suspects disposed of the bodies.

“Bakasyon muna tayo sa Baguio. 'Yan ang sinabi sa mga bata. Pero along the way, noong night time nila, umikot sila, dinispose sila 'yung mga katawan,” Remulla said.

(We're going on vacation in Baguio. That's what the kids were told. But along the way, during night time, they roamed around, they disposed of the bodies.)

For Remulla, the couple have “psychopathic criminal tendencies.”

“Merong silang psychopathic criminal tendencies talaga kasi walang konsensya. Paano mo madadala 'yung anak mo sa participation of the crime?” Remulla said.

 (They really have psychopathic criminal tendencies because they have no conscience. How can you bring your children into participation in the crime?)

“Anong klaseng utak ka na meron? Anong klaseng puso ka na meron na pati anak mo, isasama mo, sa disposal and sa prosecution of the crime. Doon kami nagulat lahat. They were at the scene of the crime,” he added.

(What kind of brain do you have? What kind of heart do you have that you even include your children in the disposal and prosecution of the crime. That's where we were all shocked. The kids were at the scene of the crime.)

Authorities are still looking into the husband of the victim as a person of interest in the case.

“Isa na lang po ang titignan namin 'yung anggulo ng asawa ni Diane na si John. Si Diane at John ay hiwalay na ng tatlong taon. Ngunit noong nalaman nung namatay ang kanyang asawa, imbis na i-subject sa autopsy ay pina-cremate kaagad kasama ang suot na damit. 

(We are looking at Diane's husband, John. Diane and John have been separated for three years. But when he found out that his wife had died, instead of subjecting the body to an autopsy, it was cremated immediately along with the clothes.)

“Noong tinatanong 'yung John kung anong involvement niya, wala siyang remorse. Hindi umiiyak, hindi malungkot. Asawa't anak ang pinatay. Ngunit marami pang development ito,” he added.

(When John was asked what his involvement was, he had no remorse. He wasn't crying, he wasn't sad. His wife and child were killed. But there will be more developments to this.)

The victims were last seen on January 16 and were reported missing on January 19 by John Mollenido.

The policewoman was found dead on January 24 in a creek in Pulilan, Bulacan, with a gunshot wound to the head. Her son's body was discovered on January 29 at a calamansi farm in Victoria, Tarlac.

Based on initial findings, the Southern Police District said Diane and Ysmael were on their way to meet the car agent in Quezon City following the sale of a vehicle. Police said the agent is Diane’s godchild.

Authorities later searched the car agent’s residence in Quezon City—where Diane was last seen alive—by virtue of a search warrant. Blood traces were found inside the house, according to police.

One of the suspects has alleged that he witnessed the aftermath of the shooting at the residence of the car agent and her partner on the evening of January 16.—MCG/AOL, GMA Integrated News