[WARNING: SENSITIVE CONTENT]
A 12-year-old girl who was reported missing since February 11, 2026 in Toledo City, Cebu was found dead on February 19 in Barangay Ibo, already in advanced state of decomposition.
Her mother, Christine, said that they have been looking for her daughter, Crystal Joy Abarquez, for eight days.
The pain is even harder to bear when she learned that the suspect is a relative.
The mother cried for justice and said that she wants to know the circumstances which led to the brutal slay.
Crystal Joy is her second child.
The girl's body was found in a secluded area, with tall grasses which made it challenging at first to locate her.
Christine said that the victim is a graduating Grade 6 pupil. Most of the time, she said, her three daughters would come to their grandmother’s house together to ask for viand.
However, afternoon on February 11, Crystal Joy did not go with her two siblings, as she was preoccupied with her cellphone.
After which, the victim went reportedly to the house all by herself.
As she failed to come home that day, her mother decided to post on social media of her absence. Later, she was reported as a missing person.
The Toledo City Police shaped a tracker team along with officials of Barangay Poblacion and the neighboring barangay, and traced CCTV footages near their house.
Through the CCTV footage, the girl was seen on board a motorcycle. The suspect was not identified immediately because a hat obscured his face.
Earlier, Toledo City Mayor Marjorie (Joie) Perales dangled reward money for information on the whereabouts of the victim.
On February 19, a dog named “Meyat” was instrumental in locating the body of the victim, in the grassy area, in another barangay, which is Barangay Ibo.
Crystal Joy was found tied to a tree, using the drawstring of her jogging pants.
Her head was dismembered, and that she was nearly skull and bones.
Later, a few witnesses came in the open to offer information on the suspect, Rowel Villapaña, Jr. who was established to be a second-degree cousin of the victim.
The suspect was arrested evening on February 19.
However, according to Police Lt. Col. Roland Barraquio, chief of the Toledo City Police Station, the suspect denied vehemently the accusation despite the recovery of the motorcycle shown on the CCTV video where he was seen with the girl past 5 p.m.
Based on initial background check conducted by the police, the suspect has a case for two counts of r@pe in Iloilo. He resided in Toledo City beginning in 2021.
Investigation is ongoing, as of posting time, to also determine if there were other persons involved in the slay.
A murder case will be filed against Villapaña by Monday, February 23, while awaiting the result of an autopsy to help establish a case for r@pe.
SLAY ANGERS CEBU GOVERNOR
The slay drew the ire of Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro.
She said that it is both hard to think of the harrowing experience that the victim went through at the hands of the suspect, and her family upon learning that she was killed.
Baricuatro said that illegal drug use could have fueled possibly the crime.
She ordered the Cebu Police Provincial Office to delve into the incident and strengthen its drive against illegal drugs.
Baricuatro has condoled with the family of the victim.
(with Alan Domingo/GMA Regional TV Balitang Bisdak)
