KALIBO, Aklan – The family and friends of a pawnshop manager-reliever here are crying for justice. She was killed inside the establishment on Monday morning, June 6.
Bonna Hercia Ambay of Barangay Nauring, Pandan, Antique – and temporarily staying in Crossing Buswang, Poblacion Kalibo – was stabbed multiple times.
The 23-year old Ambay was found dead on the floor of RD Pawnshop along Mabini Street, Poblacion across the Aklan provincial hospital at around 7:40 a.m. Her co-employees and incoming security guard on-duty saw her in a pool of blood.
A person-of-interest had been identified – 31-year-old Mark Archie Torrefiel of Batan, Aklan and temporarily staying in Barangay Cajilo, Makato, Aklan.
He was the security guard on-duty of the pawnshop on Sunday, June 5.
The victim’s father, Bonifacio Ambay, Jr. urged the Kalibo police to ensure the suspect is brought to justice.
He is also offering a reward for information that leads to the arrest of the suspect.
A police investigation is ongoing. Investigators are appealing for anyone who has information about the killing of Ambay to contact the authorities at 09399167066.
In a follow-up investigation, police recovered Torrefiel’s service firearm, five live ammunition wrapped in a red cloth and blood-stained security guard pants in a banana tree at the back of their house in Barangay Cajilo.
Torrefiel and his live-in partner were believed to have left home for Manila via a roll-on roll off vessel in Caticlan, Malay, Aklan an hour after the killing, police said.
At the crime scene, police also found a pair of black slippers, blood-stained handcuff, pink coin purse, blood-stained towel, a security guard uniform of Torrefiel and a 21cm knife believed to have been used in the killing of Ambay.
A security camera footage showed Torrefiel left the pawnshop onboard a tricycle-for hire at around 5:20 p.m. on Sunday, bringing with him the .38 service revolver of the security agency.
Kalibo police chief Major Jasson Belcina said the person-of-interest has been involved in armed robbery in Manila and a theft case in Batan, Aklan.
“Not yet established ang motibo sa pagpatay sa biktima. Ang security guard at ang biktima lamang ang natirang tao sa pawnshop kahapon ng hapon. Patuloy ang ating hot pursuit operation,” he added./PN
