Cops arrest call center agent’s friend

CEBU CITY -- Police arrested Wednesday a friend of the call center agent whose body was found outside a hotel room, after investigators recovered the victim’s wallet inside the friend’s boarding house.

Jonnelle Enfectana, 26, initially volunteered to sign a confession, but changed her mind Tuesday night and refused to cooperate further with Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO) investigators.

At 3:30 p.m., police arrested her inside the private ward of the Mandaue City hospital, where she was resting a day after being admitted. Investigators brought her to the MCPO and prepared a murder case against her.

Police already have the names of two possible accomplices and have asked the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in Tacloban for assistance.

Chief Inspector Eddie Recamara of the MCPO and his team recovered Lynn Vi Ebarita’s wallet, containing her identification cards, inside a room Enfectana rented in Florimer Subdivision, Barangay Banilad, Cebu City.

Recamara said they secured the homeowner’s consent for the search and that the arrest, while warrantless, was legal because it formed part of their pursuit operations.

A radio report, however, quoted lawyer Michael Enriquez as saying he will question the validity of the search and arrest.

Asked about the motive, Recamara said he believed envy may have triggered the attack.

Last January 18, some of Enfectana’s male relatives reportedly came to see her for the Sinulog. One of the investigators’ theories is that the suspect arranged for a group sex session, but that the victim refused.

Four days later, Ebarita’s body was discovered stuffed inside a plastic bag.

From then on, Recamara said the police relied on leads provided by Enfectana, including printouts of chat conversations between Ebarita and her US-based boyfriend, and between the boyfriend and Enfectana.

One thing that provoked the boyfriend’s suspicion was Enfectana’s use of a nickname that only his girlfriend knew and use.

Up until last Tuesday, police provided Enfectana with security because she said she received death threats. She collapsed on that day before she could sign a confession detailing her role in Ebarita’s death.

But when her lawyer Michael Enriquez came to see her last Tuesday night, Enfectana changed her mind. No confession was signed.

During the search at noon Wednesday, police found among Enfectana’s things Ebarita’s wallet, which contained her TeleTech card, a PhilHealth card, a North General Hospital card and credit cards.

Deputy director for operations Bernard Tambaoan said that was enough “circumstantial evidence” to arrest Enfectana.

Tambaoan also said they have two witnesses who are willing to execute affidavits to pin down the suspects.

my condolences to Lynn's family. Lynn, your case will be resolve!

Lynn Vi Ebarita
just click the name to see her.