Iloilo man who strangled, buried live-in partner blames victim’s mother for tragedy

An Iloilo man who strangled and buried his live-in partner last weekend blamed the victim's mother for the tragedy, citing her refusal to let them reconcile.

Ericke Mickell Paginado, 23, admitted killing live-in partner Rebecca dela Cruz after an argument last weekend, GMA Iloilo's Charlene Belvis and Joecel Huesca reported Wednesday.

Paginado turned himself in to authorities Tuesday, a day after dela Cruz's remains were found and exhumed from a makeshift grave behind Paginado's house in Iloilo City's Arevalo district.

He said he fetched Rebecca from her workplace Saturday evening and tried to talk to her about reconciling.

When they got to his house, no one was there, as their children were taken by their grandparents to attend Mass.

But when they discussed a reconciliation, Rebecca did not want to be with him because she supposedly had a new boyfriend.

"Hindi ko na napigilan ang sarili ko ... Natamaan talaga yung ego ko kahit sino rin siguro na lalaki. Kumuha ako ng nylon at sinakal ko siya," he said.

While he expressed remorse over his act, he said Rebecca's mother Angie should also be to blame, for opposing their reconciliation.

"Sa iyo Angie, kung hindi dahil sa iyo, buhay pa sana ang anak mo. Huwag kang sumali sa buhay ng may buhay. Hindi mo nga maayos-ayos ang buhay mo, papakialaman mo pa yung buhay ko," he said.

Earlier, Rebecca's mother had said she told her not to be with the suspect anymore.

"Sinabihan ko yan si Rebecca noong kinuha ko siya rito na huwag na huwag sumama kay Erick kahit anong mangyari kung walang kasamang iba. Kaya kahit puntahan pa yan ni Ericke sa bahay, hindi yan sumasama," she said. — Joel Locsin/LBG, GMA News