Adolfo murder suspects nabbed for illegal drugs

The two men whom the police are investigating for their possible involvement in the murder of call center agent Aireen Adolfo were arrested for separate criminal offenses.

Adolfo’s uncle Sherwin “Jingle” Velasquez, 43, was arrested for carrying 15 grams of “shabu” worth P202,500, while Ramonito Tribunalo, 38, was handcuffed for keeping unlicensed bullets last Tuesday afternoon.

They denied participation in the killing of Adolfo, whom authorities believed was robbed before she was killed and thrown in a grassy lot in Barangay Pulangbato, Cebu City last Sunday night.

Cebu City Police Office Director Joel Doria said Velasquez and Tribunalo are not yet suspects in the death of Adolfo, saying they are still gathering witnesses and other evidence. He said they are checking footage of closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras in the area.

Investigators theorized the victim was robbed of her money. They received reports that cash ranging from P30,000 to P50,000 was lost.

Velasquez, who was released from jail last January, said he could not kill Adolfo, as he was with his four cousins last Sunday, witnessing a cockfight in Mandaue City. They went home past midnight last Monday.

“Ako limpiyo akong konsiyensiya gyud (My conscience is clear),” he said. “Maglisod gyud kog buhat ana. Paryente ra na ang gibuhatan ana (I can hardly do that. Doing that to a relative.)”

Adolfo’s mother, Leah, and other relatives showed to the police yesterday a dead rooster, more than 10 meters from the site where the victim was found last Monday morning.

Leah said that Velasquez and his friends possibly robbed her daughter and killed her for she knew him.

“Naa daw nakadungog nga mihangyo akong anak nga dili na lang siya patyon kay kaila ra sila (Someone heard my daughter begging not to be killed since they knew each other),” she said.

For his part, Tribunalo said he did not leave his home in Tawason, Barangay Canduman, Mandaue City since Saturday. He said the bullets were kept by his son, who works in a firing range.

Tribunalo said he did not know the victim personally.

“Masud ta sa prisohan nga dili kita ang nagbuhat anang krimena. Lisod kaayo na, uy. Kalayo ra sa amoa nganong moabot ko didto? (I’d be in prison for a crime I didn’t do. That’s hard. We live far, why would I even be there),” he said. /