Conscience haunted Christine’s murderer
CEBU CITY—Lourdes Silawan Pardillo fixed a steely gaze at the man seated across from her. The man, wearing a prison orange shirt, was Renato Payuman Llenes, the 43-year-old man who admitted killing Pardillo’s daughter Christine Lee last March 10 in Lapu-Lapu City.
Llenes was presented before the media Thursday at the Central Visayas Police Office headquarters here.
“I want to ask forgiveness from her (Christine) family,” said Llenes in Cebuano after Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Oscar Albayalde recounted how the police tracked down the suspect.
Lourdes, who repeatedly wiped her tears during the whole proceeding, and her husband Mario, declined to be interviewed by reporters.
Albayalde said Llenes, assisted by two lawyers, a private lawyer and one from the Public Attorney’s Office, has executed an extra-judicial confession.” We believe his admission because he is very consistent with his confession, according to the two lawyers,” he said.
Llenes who police identified as a street-level pusher and a drugs user in his barangay, and who has five children, “owned up the crime because he was haunted by his conscience,” Albayalde said.
Police Col. Limuel Obon, Lapu-Lapu police chief, said Llenes was identified through security camera footage showing
him and Christine together hours before the crime happened.
Obon said it was in October of last year when the communication between Christine and the suspect started through Facebook.
Christine sent a friend request to a certain CJ Diaz, not knowing it was an account created by Llenes.
Llenes also used two other fake Facebook accounts in befriending Christine. One was named Marielyn dela Cruz and the other Rhainheart Llenes.
“The suspect made it appear that Marielyn and Rhainheart were his sisters to boost his integrity,” said Obon.
Christine had exchanges with the three not knowing that those three accounts were managed by just one person.
After several communications through Facebook messenger and texts, the two agreed to meet last March 10 at the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Barangay Pajac, Lapu-Lapu.
Christine was surprised that the CJ Diaz was too old to be the boy she came to know on Facebook.
“I told her, I was CJ Diaz. She didn’t believe at first but I was able to convince her. She didn’t get mad,” said Llenes.
Llenes convinced Christine to go with him until they reached a vacant lot in Barangay Bankal where the victim was found dead last March 11.
Llenes admitted he was high on illegal drugs when he committed the crime.
The two started to quarrel when Llenes became jealous after the girl told him that she was no longer a virgin.
Christine wanted to leave but Llanes stopped her.
The two wrestled until Llenes pulled out a pair of scissors and repeatedly stabbed the girl. The suspect had brought the scissors with him since he was to have his haircut on that day.
Llenes attempted to rape the girl but did not push through.
“He still tried to satisfy his carnal desire but no penetration has been made for the reason of no erection,” said Albayalde.
Llenes said he peeled the skin of the victim’s face using the scissors so she could not be identified.
Llenes said he got the idea of peeling off the skin from watching videos on Youtube and Momo challenge.
Llenes left the girl behind and brought her bag and the peeled skin.
Llenes cleaned himself up in a well but could not recall where he threw the bag and the peeled skin.
Obon said investigators got a break when someone identified Llenes as the man who was with Christine from the security camera footage the police recovered.
Another person helped the police trace the suspect’s whereabouts.
“When we were able to trace him, it was his family, including his live-in partner, who squealed that it was Llenes who owns the three fake Facebook accounts,” said Obon.
Llenes was arrested in his home in Barangay Bankal last Tuesday morning.
Obon said they recovered the scissors Llenes used and a black shirt believed to have been worn by the suspect during the crime since it had bloodstains.
The recovered items will be subjected to DNA testing.
Charges for illegal possession of firearms and violation of election gun have been filed against Llenes after a .45 caliber pistol was recovered from him during his arrest.
A murder case will be filed against him on Monday next week, Obon said.
Llenes said he decided to admit the crime since he pitied the teenager that the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) had arrested as a suspect in the Silawan murder.
“I want the boy to be released. I pity him,” he said.
The NBI has insisted it will pursue the murder case it filed against the teenager, who is currently in the custody of social workers in Lapu-Lapu.