DUMAGUETE CITY — Authorities disclosed on Thursday that two of the three suspects in the murder of the brother of the Valencia town mayor in Negros Oriental province and another individual were shot dead late Wednesday night hours after they were released from detention.
The suspects — identified as Tim Moerch, a Danish national, and Myla Ozoa Cagas — were killed minutes apart at around 11:20 p.m. in Barangay Balugo, Valencia, while Moerch’s legal wife, Karen Kate Cadiente — who was riding with him on a motorcycle at that time — was also shot dead during the attack.
Moerch and Cagas, including John Edward Remollo, of San Jose town, were the suspects in the killing of Don Paulo Teves, younger brother of Mayor Edgar Teves Jr. and son of former Mayor Edgar Teves Sr. last Monday.
Assistant Provincial Prosecutor Florence Ed Obial-Kadusale ordered the release of Moerch and Cagas on Wednesday, citing irregularity in the manner of their arrest but it was not immediately known if Remollo was also released.
Moerch and Cagas were taken into police custody Monday or hours after the body of the young Teves was found wrapped in a blanket and plastic at a dumpster in Valencia. Remollo, on the other hand, was nabbed the following day.
The victim died of a single gunshot wound to the head.
Personal grudge is being eyed as the motive in Teves’ killing as investigators noted of a previous conflict between the victim and the Dane which was recorded in a police blotter.
Valencia police chief, Maj. Roger Quijano, has declined to be interviewed pending an ongoing investigation into the incident.
Police officials at the Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office are also not yet releasing other details on the crime.