CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines — A sitting vice mayor from Lanao del Sur and his companion are now facing murder and frustrated murder charges after being linked to the brutal shooting of two women in Barangay Tubigan, Initao, Misamis Oriental on February 16—an attack that left a 31-year-old solo parent dead and another woman fighting for her life.
The development was confirmed by Christopher Abrahano, regional director of the Philippine National Police Police Regional Office 10 (PRO-10), during a press briefing at Camp Alagar on Monday, March 2.
According to Abrahano, prosecutors in Misamis Oriental have already filed charges against the unnamed vice mayor and his alleged accomplice after investigators found sufficient grounds linking them to the shooting incident. Authorities, however, are withholding the suspects’ identities pending the issuance of arrest warrants.
Police said the motive behind the attack was personal, a detail that deepens public outrage over the involvement of an elected official in a violent crime.
Survivor Identifies Alleged Gunman
Investigators disclosed that the surviving victim—who sustained a gunshot wound to the neck—positively identified the politician as the alleged gunman. Her testimony became a crucial element in the case filed before the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office.
Authorities are now waiting for the court to release the arrest warrants, after which police units are expected to move swiftly to apprehend the suspects.
“The filing of charges is a significant step toward justice,” Abrahano told members of the press corps and tri-media covering Northern Mindanao. “Once the warrants are issued, we will immediately conduct operations to arrest the suspects responsible for this crime.”
Killing That Shocked Communities
The charges stem from the killing of Jovy Reyna Lubcubán Esquillo, also known as “Jai Jai,” a solo parent and small business owner from Aplaya, Jasaan. Her body was discovered before dawn on February 16 in a secluded grassy area of Sitio Bunutan, Barangay Tubigan.
Authorities said Esquillo suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the head, while her companion survived the attack and managed to escape despite being critically wounded.
Residents tending livestock in the remote area were the first to discover Esquillo’s body. Scene of the Crime Operatives recovered two fired cartridge cases from the scene, believed to be linked to the firearm used in the attack.
Investigators later determined that the victims were likely brought to the isolated area shortly before the shooting, as local residents did not recognize them.
Chilling Timeline Before the Attack
Police traced the victims’ movements hours before the crime.
Authorities said the two women were last seen around 5 p.m. on February 15 boarding a waiting SUV along the national highway in Aplaya, Jasaan. Later that night, Esquillo reportedly sent a video message to a relative showing herself and her companion inside a hotel room.
Before dawn the following day, investigators believe the suspects transported the women to Barangay Tubigan in Initao, where the fatal shooting occurred.
The injured survivor managed to flee and flagged down a passing vehicle. She later reached a police checkpoint in Libertad, where officers assisted her and rushed her to the hospital. For security reasons, police have withheld her identity, noting that she remains a key witness in the case.
Public Office, Violent Crime
The revelation that a sitting vice mayor is among those charged has intensified scrutiny and concern among residents in Northern Mindanao and neighboring provinces in Mindanao.
Law enforcement officials stressed that no one is above the law, regardless of political position, as the investigation continues to unfold.
Police also assured the public that once arrest warrants are issued, operations will be carried out immediately to bring the suspects into custody and formally disclose their identities.
For now, authorities say the case stands as a grim reminder of how quickly personal disputes can escalate into deadly violence—and how accountability must follow, even when the accused holds public office.