By JEN BAYLON

The stepfather of 15-year-old Grade 10 student Pearl Joy Galve has denied any involvement in his daughter’s death.

Rene John Nacis confessed to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Bacolod City yesterday that he had nothing to do with Galve’s murder.

He does not know who is responsible for the killing, claiming that he had no protectors or acquaintances who might have committed the crime.

However, Nacis admitted that he molested Galve when she was 12 years old, the NBI-Bacolod said.

Accompanied by personnel from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, Nacis voluntarily presented himself to NBI-Bacolod through a subpoena.

The stepfather also denied that he threatened to kill Jennifer Galve, the victim’s mother, if she revealed to authorities that he was allegedly involved in the crime.

NBI-Bacolod supervising officer Manuel Fayre, Jr. said yesterday that the information provided by Nacis was still very limited and seemed to be hiding something.

They are set to file charges of child abuse in violation of Republic Act 9262 or the Anti-Violence Against Women and Children

Act of 2004 against Nacis.

Big factor

Meanwhile, NBI-Bacolod said the statement provided by Jennifer was a big factor in their investigation to file a case against the suspect.

NBI-Bacolod chief Manuel Fayre said the filing of charges will be based on statements from other witnesses, and it will be strengthened by Jennifer’s testimony.

According to Fayre, Jennifer said she was reluctant to give her testimony because she was allegedly receiving death threats from Nacis, even before the recovery of Pearl Joy’s remains in a sugarcane plantation in Negros Occidental’s La Carlota City on August 14.

Jennifer is now in the custody of the NBI for her safety.

Fayre believes it is possible that there are other witnesses to the crime, but they were afraid to come out.

He called on possible witnesses to approach their office to help them with the case, as authorities are ready to provide them protection.

Earlier, an autopsy revealed that Pearl Joy succumbed to multiple injuries to the head, neck, chest, abdomen, waist, arms, and legs, indicating that she was beaten.

La Carlota police chief, Colonel Lymel John Pasquin, said it is still unconfirmed whether the victim was raped, but there is a possibility of sexual assault.

Her mouth was covered with duct tape, and her hands were bound behind her back.

Galve, a resident of Barangay Sum-ag, was reportedly missing on July 29, based on a blotter report.
She was last seen attending a half-day class on the said date.

The police investigation is ongoing as authorities seek to determine the circumstances surrounding her death.

Not shabu

The Bacolod City Police Station 9 said yesterday that the suspected illegal substance recovered from Jennifer and Nacis’ rented home at Purok AC Yulo in the city’s Barangay Sum-ag was not shabu.

On Thursday, August 29, Pearl Joy’s cousin turned over more than 30 grams of suspected shabu after Jennifer entrusted the house keys to the relative while they were away to give testimony to the police.

While cleaning the house, the cousin accidentally found a cigarette box inside a cabinet which contained a suspected illegal substance.

The suspected illegal drugs were handed over to the Negros Occidental Crime Laboratory Unit for appropriate examination./JB, WDJ