Executive Summary
- PNP Chief Gen. Nartatez orders a full-scale manhunt for suspects in two separate killings.
- Victims identified as former beauty queen Lullete Jane Ramilo-De Guzman and coop director Tony Mendeja.
- Police have intensified nationwide crime prevention measures, including checkpoints and firearm crackdowns.
- Investigations remain ongoing with no suspects currently in custody.
MANILA — Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief General Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr. has ordered a full-scale manhunt to apprehend the perpetrators responsible for two separate fatal shootings involving a former beauty queen and an electric cooperative official, according to official statements released Sunday.
General Nartatez condemned the attacks and directed the regional directors of Police Regional Offices 2 and 4B to conduct exhaustive investigations. “Strong words of condemnation against these cowardly attacks are not enough, we will focus on identifying and arresting all those involved in these two killings in the interest of justice and the rule of law,” Nartatez stated in a press release.
Lullete Jane Ramilo-De Guzman, a 32-year-old public school teacher and former Miss Philippines Earth 2013 runner-up, was fatally shot Friday evening outside her residence in San Manuel, Isabela. According to police reports, the victim was in a vehicle with her children when an assailant on an unplated motorcycle approached and fired multiple times. De Guzman was pronounced dead upon arrival at Manuel Roxas District Hospital. Investigators are currently examining potential motives ranging from personal to professional disputes.
In a separate incident occurring the same night, Tony Mendeja, a 64-year-old board director for the Oriental Mindoro Electric Cooperative (Ormeco), was killed in Pinamalayan, Oriental Mindoro. Police stated that Mendeja had pulled his vehicle over to inspect a light when he was shot by an unidentified gunman. Authorities noted that Mendeja was returning from Calapan City after participating in a memorandum of agreement signing for a solar lights project.
In response to these violent crimes, General Nartatez has ordered commanders nationwide to intensify crime prevention protocols. These measures include the establishment of checkpoints, increased police visibility, and the strategic deployment of personnel under the Enhanced Managing Police Operations (EMPO). The directive aligns with instructions from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla to strengthen law enforcement responses to violent crime.
Investigative Outlook and Public Safety Measures
The simultaneous high-profile nature of these killings has prompted an immediate shift in law enforcement posture, moving from standard investigation to a prioritized national directive. The implementation of intensified checkpoints and a crackdown on unlicensed firearms indicates a strategy focused on immediate containment and deterrence. By involving the highest levels of the PNP and citing presidential directives, authorities are signaling a zero-tolerance approach intended to reassure the public and mitigate the perception of impunity regarding crimes against public figures and officials.
It is important to note that investigations are ongoing, and any individuals identified as suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
