By Jennifer P. Rendon
The town of Miag-ao, Iloilo, is grappling with a horrifying discovery.
Marivic Felicisimo, aged 52, was found lifeless and partially disrobed in a grassy area of Diday village on the evening of April 7.
Felicisimo, a resident of Barangay Tambong, Miag-ao, was discovered without her underwear and brassiere, her blouse pulled up to expose her upper body, and her undergarments placed disturbingly around her neck.
A severe wound on her forehead suggests she was struck by a blunt object.
Local witnesses reported last seeing the victim alive in the early hours of April 6. Surveillance footage has since revealed Felicisimo walking home around 3:05 a.m. that Saturday, with an unidentified man proceeding her.
Captain Francis Donne Lomahan, the Miag-ao police chief, has confirmed the identification of a person of interest who was reportedly the last to accompany Felicisimo.
Known as alias Kenneth, 26, from Barangay Diday, this individual became the focus of the investigation following the victim’s attendance at a local fiesta, which culminated in a social gathering with drinking and karaoke.
Four men, initially questioned for their presence at the karaoke session, indicated they had left prior to Felicisimo and the man in question.
Despite his mother’s assertion that Kenneth had departed for work on Saturday, inquiries reveal he did not show up at his construction job in Oton, Iloilo, subsequently raising suspicions about his involvement.
“As of now, he is our prime suspect,” according to Lomahan, who is awaiting autopsy results to determine whether Felicisimo endured sexual assault.
