OFW’s wife found dead, possibly raped, in Cebu; suspect arrested

A 27-year-old wife of an overseas Filipino worker was found dead and naked—and possibly raped—in a canal under her house in Barangay Poblacion, Talisay City in Cebu late Saturday, with her own brother-in-law being considered a possible suspect.

Relatives of victim Manilyn Saballa could not accept the way she was killed, GMA Cebu's Lou-Anne Mae Rondina reported Monday.

Police arrested the victim's brother-in-law Alan Saballa - a suspected drug user - at 10 a.m. Monday in Barangay Toong in Cebu City, GMA Cebu's Chona Carreon reported.

Saballa, who was hiding in an abandoned house, admitted to killing Manilyn, and that he had planned to kill her long ago because she would snitch on his drug use.

He also admitted using drugs before killing Manilyn, but denied raping her. He sought forgiveness from the victim's relatives and from her husband who is working in Kuwait.

The suspect had also allegedly assaulted the victim's younger sister Jessa Lopez, and tried to set fire to the victims' house.

Jessa said she, the victim and the suspect lived in one house with a wall separating their rooms.

Shortly before midnight of Saturday, Jessa said she heard a noise in the other room but she did not pay much attention because she was sleepy.

But after a few minutes, she saw Alan in front of her, allegedly pouring gasoline over the house and trying to set it on fire.

"Napansin ko siya nung kanya na akong inano at yung gas kanyang ginanyan isinaboy kaya nabasa ako. Tapos tunakbo ako, tapos pagtakbo ko sinindihan niya pero naabutan at nahawakan niya ang buhok ko kaya sinuntok niya ako. Nawala na ang aking paningin na ano na ako tumihaya na," she said.

Jessa still managed to run out of the house and shout for help but Alan allegedly pursued her and beat her up.

Neighbors helped put out the fire but Alan managed to flee.

They could not immediately find Manilyn until Sunday morning.

Alan's mother admitted he was a drug user.

"Anak ko man yun siya, mahal man natin ang ating mga anak pero parang sabi ko kahit patayin na lang din siya dahil hindi talaga maganda ang kanyang ginawa.; Sobrang sakit talaga hindi ko na makaya," she said.

Manilyn's remains will be subjected to an autopsy to determine how she died and if she was sexually assaulted before she was killed.

"Lalo na sa kanyang pamilya ni Alan o sa mga nakakilala sa kanya, kumbinsihin sana siya na come out into the open. Punta siya rito sa istasyon para makuha din kung ano man ang kanyang side," said Talisay City police deputy head Inspector Windell Abellana. —Joel Locsin/KBK, GMA News

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