Suspect in murder of Zambo girl captured

Loella Acaylar

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Police have arrested a construction worker tagged as behind the murder of a 17-year old student here.

Col. Alexander Lorenzo, chief of the local police force, led the operation that resulted in the capture of the 29-year old man, the prime suspect in the killing of Loella Jaganas Acaylar, a Grade 11 student at the Culianan National High School.

Lorenzo did not identify the suspect, but said the man was “arrested during the swift, coordinated, and strategic hot pursuit.”

He said Thursday’s operation involved members of the Zamboanga City Police Office, the Special Investigation Unit-Criminal Investigation and Detection Management Unit, 1st Zamboanga City Mobile Force Company, Zamboanga City Police Station 4 in Culianan village and village officials of Pasobolong village.

“The suspect is a construction worker and a resident of Pasobolong. Furthermore, the suspect was positively identified by an eyewitness,” Lorenzo said without further elaborating, adding police were interrogating the alleged killer to determine the motive of the murder.

Acaylar was reported missing after she failed to come home Tuesday, July 25. Her family said the victim went to a friend's house to return a dress she borrowed. Her body was discovered the next day by civilians in a bushy area in Pasobolong.

Her bags and other personal items were also found near the body. It was not immediately known whether the victim was raped or not until the results of the post-mortem examination are completed.

Acaylar's body had contusions, according to the police. (Mindanao Examiner)