Pulong Duterte offers P1M reward for suspects in rape-slay case

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 22 May)—First District Representative Paolo “Pulong” Duterte has offered to give a cash reward of P1 million to individuals who can help authorities identify the suspects who raped and killed 28-year-old architect Vlanche Marie L. Bragas.

_{Vlanche Marie L. Bragas as an architecture student at Ateneo de Davao. Photo from Ms Bragas’s Facebook page}

In a statement, the lawmaker said he is hoping that the incident would be resolved to give justice to Bragas, whose body covered in dried banana leaves was found around 8 a.m. last May 17 in a plantation in Barangay Dacudao in Calinan, just hours after she went missing.

“An ordinary Dabawenyo who struggled daily to give herself and her family a better future … Along with the family of Ms Bragas, I grieve her death,” Duterte said.

Last Thursday, the Special Investigation Task Group “Bragas” was formed to probe the incident and determine the identity of the suspects who were responsible for her death.

The victim was reported missing around 12:30 a.m. on May 17.

Based on CCTV footage, she was last seen boarding a color yellow tricycle at Crossing Fausta, Calinan District, Davao City before the incident. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)