A CAR dealer and her husband shot and killed Police Senior Master Sergeant Diane Mollenido and used a plastic bag to suffocate her 8-year-old son John Ysmael, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Tuesday.
The two suspects, Pia Katrina Panganiban, 29, and Christian Suarez Panganiban, 44, now in police custody, were the victim’s wedding godchildren, and plotted to cheat her out of her money through a bogus car deal. When the victim found out, an argument ensued and they shot her dead and killed her son so that there would be no witness to the crime.
“Based on our investigation, the one who committed the crime was [the victim’s] wedding godchildren,” Remulla said, naming the suspects in a press briefing at Camp Crame.
He said the couple had an accomplice, Gil Valdemoro Dy Jr., but did not say what his role was.
Pia’s sister Maribel Suarez admitted that she was there at the house where the victims were killed, Remulla said.
Remulla said Diane transacted with the couple to buy a Mitsubishi Montero. An initial payment of P500,000 was already made but to complete the payment, the victim had her Toyota Innova sold through her agents for P450,000. Investigation revealed, however, that the Montero was nonexistent.
Remulla said the couple planned to kill Mollenido, but killed her son as well because his mother brought him along.
Diane was killed by a gunshot to the head near the left ear, while John Ysmael was suffocated with a plastic bag.
With the suspects in custody, Remulla said the case of Mollenido murders was considered closed, adding that charges would be filed.
Grisly task
Diane’s body was found in a creek along the Baliuag Bypass Road in Bulacan on Jan. 24. Five days later, her son’s body was found in a farm in Victoria, Tarlac.
Remulla said the couple had disposed of the bodies on a road trip to Baguio on which they took their children, ages 10, 8 and 6.
“It’s hard to understand how they, the suspects, Pia and Christian could have brought their three kids, one seated on Pia’s lap, the other one on Gil’s while the bodies of Diane and John Ysmael were kept at the back of the Toyota Fortuner,” Remulla said.
“How could you bring your children to the scene of the crime?” Remulla added, describing the suspects as having “psychopathic criminal tendencies.”
Husband not off the hook yet
While all the evidence points to the Panganiban couple, authorities said Mollenido’s husband, Senior Master Sergeant John Mollenido, isn’t off the hook yet.
Remulla said John remains a “person of interest” because upon knowing about their murders, he immediately ordered his wife and child’s cremation with their clothes — an unlikely move for a police officer considering clothes are an important part of the investigation.
His seemingly cold response also confused investigators.
“No remorse, no tears, no sadness. It was his wife and child who were killed,” Remulla said.
John remains under restrictive custody of the National Capital Region Police Office.
“We’re digging into the possibility that he is involved,” Remulla said.