A whopping P1 million reward is offered to anyone who can give valuable information leading to the arrest of suspects in the murder of model/businesswoman Yvonette “Yvonne” Chua Plaza.
The 38-year old victim, who just disembarked from a Mitsubishi Montero vehicle and was about to open the gate of her rented house at Purok 18, Buttercup Street of Green Meadows Subdivision in Barangay Sto. Niño, Tugbok district, was shot multiple times by motorcycle-riding men on December 29, 2022.
Plaza died on the spot after sustaining gunshot wounds on different parts of her body.
Colonel Alberto Lupaz, director of the Davao City Police Office (DCPO), announced the P1 million reward in a press conference at Camp Domingo Leonor in Davao City on Tuesday.
“Merong mga well-meaning individuals and concerned citizens na nagbigay sa atin ng support to fast track our investigation for the apprehension of the suspects. Nagbigay ng P1 million kung sino man dito sa Davao Region na makapagbigay ng impormasyon sa identity ng bumaril kay Plaza,” Lupaz said.
Lupaz showed the media a printer image of the suspects taken from a closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera.
Lupaz also disclosed that based on the ongoing investigation of the case, which is being led by the Special Investigation Task Group (SITG), authorities are looking at two persons of interest.
“Yung isa we obtained information posted on social media. We have directed our station commanders together with the cybercrime group to investigate what was posted on social media for authenticity. At kung yung kanyang pinost totoo ba yun,” he added.
Major Eudisan Gultiano, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office (PRO 11), said the investigators are ruling out robbery as based on the footage where the gunman shot Plaza immediately, which instantly killed her.
“Niru-rule out natin na the very purpose is not to rob. Based on the footage, ang unang ginawa ng gunman ay binaril siya kaagad. Parang gusto pa niyang barilin ulit kaso lang nag-jam ang baril. Sa ngayon may intent talaga to kill Yvonette. Maari rin may personal grudge,” she told media.
She said they will be releasing information when all the evidences are gathered that connects to the persons of interest.
Gultiano said the victim’s cell phone and other gadgets were obtained by the investigators.
“Nakuha na rin natin ang consent ng parents para mabuksan ng cybercrime units ang cellphone,” Gultiano added.
Lupaz said the SITG was given two weeks to solve the case.
“At least two weeks pero hindi namin puwedeng i-compromise yung quality nung investigation. Kung kaya in two weeks yun ang timeline ang ibinigay but it depends sa evidence na ma-gather natin,” Gultiano said.
Plaza’s wake is in St. Peter’s Calinan.
Meanwhile, women’s group Gabriela-Southern Mindanao condemned the killing of Plaza, which has gained public attention as it has gone viral on social media.
On its Facebook Page, the group posted that “with these matters at hand, we call on pertinent government agencies (i.e. police, Davao City LGU, Commission on Human Rights) to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation of Ms. Chua’s case.”
