THE woman who was found dead in the waters near the bridge that separates Cebu City and Talisay City along the South Road Properties (SRP) around 6 a.m. Tuesday, November 19, 2024, was identified.
The victim was identified by her relatives as 22-year-old Neca Denise Lagria, from Sitio Silot, Purok Kalubihan, Barangay Yati, Liloan, Cebu. She was single and worked at a restaurant in Mandaue City.
According to Neca’s brother-in-law, Jerson Dag-uman, and her cousin, Jnypher Noval, the victim left early on Tuesday as she was scheduled to open the restaurant where she worked.
Her father had dropped her off at the corner of Yati, where she would take a jeepney to Mandaue City.
Later that morning, they learned about the death of a woman at the SRP from a news report on dyHP.
When they watched a Facebook live video of the incident, they noticed that the victim resembled Neca but did not mind it at first.
When Neca failed to return home in the evening, her parents started to worry.
Her cell phone was inaccessible when they attempted to call it.
They also contacted her workplace, where her co-workers revealed that she had not reported for duty.
Their worries started to grow, prompting them to review the social media posts from dyHP, where they recognized the victim as Neca because of a noticeable mole on her nose and her fair complexion.
According to Noval, they were not aware of any dangers to Neca’s life.
She also mentioned that Neca had previously suffered from anxiety but she had already recovered from it.
One of Neca’s older siblings, who asked not to be named, sought justice for the killing of his sister and called on the suspect to surrender.
“Sa nanghilabot sa akung manghod nga unta ma konsensya lang unta ka ug magpakita ka nga imong gihilabtan ang akung manghod nga mo surrender lang gyud unta ka, para unta naay hustisya ang akung manghod kay bata pa gyud kaayo siya, tinuod badlongon kaayo to among manghod pero dili unta angayan nga ingun ana-on,” he said.
(To the person who harmed my younger sister, I hope you feel remorse and turn yourself in. My sister deserves justice. She was so young. She did not deserve this, even though she had a rebellious tendency).
The Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) has already identified a person of interest in the case, which investigators are now focusing on.
CCPO Chief Colonel Antonietto Cañete said they obtained CCTV footage that corroborates the accounts of a witness, who is a Bantay Dagat member, claiming that he saw a sports utility vehicle (SUV) stop in the area and toss something into the sea.
“At this stage of the investigation, sorry I cannot disclose this time, but sooner, I will disclose it and even file charges against them,” Cañete said.
Cañete also suggested that the crime was not committed in Cebu City but possibly in Mandaue City.
Meanwhile, Mambaling Police Station Chief Police Major Efren Diaz Jr. reported that their investigation is 40 percent complete, based on the evidence gathered so far. (AYB)
