Body of missing widow of Angeles City ex-barangay chief found inside family compound

The remains of the widow of the late chairman of Barangay Balibago, Angeles City in Pampanga has been found inside the compound of her house on Monday, police said.

According to GMA Integrated News’ James Agustin, the body of Maria Teresa “Tess” Mamac was found five feet below the ground in a hole dug near the piggery of her compound at around 5 p.m.

The victim, widow of the late barangay chairman Rodelio Mamac, has been missing for four days. It took the SOCO four hours of digging to get her body.

“Nung atin itong tiningnan ay lumabas 'yung paa ng biktima. Nagpatawag na tayo ng SOCO at iprinocess na ito ng SOCO hanggang sa ito ay mahukay at maiahon doon sa libingan. Positibo nga kinilala ng kanyang mga kamag-anak at mga anak ang biktima,” said Police Colonel Joselito Villarosa Jr., Angeles City police chief.

(When we looked into the hole, we saw the foot of the victim. We called the SOCO and they processed it until they were able to retrieve the victim. The body was positively identified by her relatives and children.)

Villarosa said the pit has been prepared before the perpetrator killed the victim.

“Base sa aming imbestigasyon ito ay pinaghandaan sapagkat hindi kayang gawin ito ng ganong kabilis lang,” he said. 

(Based on our investigation, it has been prepared because you cannot make that hole in a short period of time.)

The body of the victim underwent autopsy to determine the cause of death. Authorities are still waiting for the result of autopsy.

A source of GMA Integrated News said the victim has a wound on her head which was probably caused by a blunt object.

Authorities are still searching for Mamac family’s driver, who has been named as a person of interest.

A manhunt operation has been conducted against the driver. Police are still investigating the motive for the killing.

"Base sa mga testigo siya 'yung huling nakitang kasama at siya 'yung huling nakitang nagmaneho nung sasakyan," Villarosa said.

(According to the witnesses, he was the last person seen with the victim and he was the last person who drove the vehicle.)

In a Facebook post on Monday night, Pampanga 1st District Rep. Carmelo Lazatin Jr. expressed his sympathies to the Mamac family and condemned her “unjust killing.”

“There is no room for such a heinous crime in a moral, civilized society. I pray that the perpetrator will be swiftly brought to justice,” Lazatin said, reiterating his offer of a P200,000 reward to anyone who can point to her killer.

He also paid tribute to Mamac as an “important pillar of support for Barangay Balibago” as the wife and widow of its long-time barangay captain.

According to Chino Gaston’s report on “Saksi” on Monday night, CCTV footage inside Mamac’s house in Angeles City recorded a scream at around 7:30 p.m. of February 12, Thursday.

The scream is believed to be Mamac’s. Mamac’s son said his mother was alone at home at that time.

Before the scream was recorded on CCTV footage, the family’s driver of 20 years was recorded by another surveillance camera leaving the compound. The driver returned a few minutes later.

The CCTV footage also showed the victim’s white SUV driving by. This was followed by the piercing scream recorded by the CCTV inside the family home.

At around 8:30 p.m., the white SUV was seen exiting the compound. The white SUV was found on Saturday afternoon, abandoned and parked at the Magalang municipal plaza.

Police found traces of blood on the walls, wheelbarrow, washing machine, and faucet at Mamac’s house. Authorities are still waiting for the results of the forensic examination of the recovered evidence. — with additional report from James Agustin/JMA/AOL, GMA Integrated News