3 suspects charged with murder of policewoman and son in Quezon City

Three suspects in the killings of Police Senior Master Sergeant Diane Marie Mollenido and her eight-year-old son John Ysmael have been formally charged with two counts of murder, the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) said on Tuesday.

In a statement, the QPCD said the prosecutor sees prima facie evidence with reasonable certainty of conviction against the suspects identified as car agent ‘Pia Katrina,’ her husband ‘Christian,’ and an accomplice ‘Gil.’

“After an in-depth and thorough investigation, the suspects, identified as ‘Christian,’ ‘Pia Katrina,’ and ‘Gil,’ have been formally charged with two (2) counts of murder, with no bail recommended, after the investigating prosecutor finds prima facie evidence with reasonable certainty of conviction against them,” the QCPD said.

One of the initial suspects identified as “Maribel,” sister of Christian, has been cleared of all charges and will now be treated as an ordinary witness, according to the QCPD.

Meanwhile, the charges against Diane’s ex-husband, Police Senior Master Sergeant John Mollenido, who was considered a person of interest, were dropped after the court granted a motion to remove his name from the list of respondents.

“We are deeply committed to bringing justice to PSMS Diane Marie Mollenido and her young son, John Ysmael. While their loss is irreplaceable, we will continue to ensure that those responsible are held accountable for their actions,” QCPD chief Police Brigadier General Randy Glenn Silvio said.

On January 24, Diane’s body was found along Pulilan Bypass Road in Barangay Dulong Malabon, Pulilan, Bulacan, where she was found with 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 the police. —VAL, GMA Integrated News