An 18-year-old man in Iloilo City was found bound to a tree and critically wounded in a secluded area, setting off a police investigation that eventually led authorities to two teenage suspects and a murder case.
The victim, identified in earlier reports as Aaron Bacolinao, was discovered in Zone 10 of Barangay Calaparan in the Arevalo district on the night of August 30. Police said he had suffered multiple stab wounds and had a bladed weapon lodged in his neck or face area.
He was still alive when rescuers arrived and was rushed to Western Visayas Medical Center. But despite medical treatment, he died at 12:36 a.m. on August 31.
The case has since taken a disturbing turn, with investigators looking into an alleged past romantic relationship, jealousy and a possible premeditated attack.
A cry for help led rescuers to the scene
The incident came to light after a resident reportedly heard a man crying for help from a dark, secluded area locally described as an uma.
A call was made to barangay authorities and police at around 10:25 p.m., prompting responders to rush to the area.
There, they found the victim tied to a tree and suffering from severe stab wounds.
According to Panay News, police recovered the bladed weapon at the scene, while the victim was still conscious enough to identify the person he said had attacked him.
Daily Guardian likewise reported that the victim was able to identify his alleged attacker before he died.
Two teenagers arrested
Police later arrested two individuals in connection with the killing.
The primary suspect was identified in reports by the alias “Agi,” 18, while his alleged accomplice was identified as “Cris,” 19. Both were taken into police custody following the incident.
GMA’s later report, based on its Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho investigation, uses different aliases for the people involved, including “Allen” for the victim and “Eric” for the primary suspect.
Police said the woman allegedly supplied the weapon used in the attack. Daily Guardian reported that investigators believed she knew about the alleged plan and initially provided a smaller knife before a larger one was used.
Police investigate jealousy as possible motive
According to Iloilo City Police Office chief Police Col. Wilbert Parilla, investigators were looking at jealousy connected to a previous romantic relationship as a possible motive.
Daily Guardian reported that the victim and the primary suspect had previously been in a relationship lasting about three years. Police said the relationship had ended and that the suspect allegedly became angry after learning the victim was involved with someone else.
GMA’s more recent report similarly said police believed jealousy was behind the killing and that the suspect allegedly discovered the victim had another partner. Investigators also said they believed the attack had been planned.
However, jealousy should be described as the police’s alleged or investigated motive, not an established fact, because criminal liability and motive are ultimately matters for the legal process.
The attack allegedly began after a planned meeting
Investigators also uncovered details about the relationship between the victim and the primary suspect.
According to police accounts reported by GMA and other local media, the two had continued communicating after their relationship.
Police said they had previously met in the same secluded area and that the victim would allegedly be tied to a tree during their encounters.
On the night of the killing, however, investigators said the situation escalated into violence.
GMA reported that the suspect allegedly told the victim he did not have the agreed payment. The victim allegedly became angry and threatened the suspect, after which the suspect reportedly attacked him with a knife.
Police later rejected the idea that the attack could simply be treated as self-defense, saying their investigation pointed to a planned killing rather than an immediate defensive response.
Police say the suspect allegedly tried to erase evidence
After the attack, investigators reportedly traced the primary suspect to his home in Barangay Calumpang.
Daily Guardian reported that police arrested him after allegedly finding him washing the clothes he had been wearing during the incident.
The second suspect was also arrested during the police operation.
By September 3, authorities had filed a murder case against both suspects before the Iloilo City Prosecutor’s Office, according to Daily Guardian.
Why this case is drawing renewed attention
The case has generated widespread attention because of the extremely violent circumstances in which the victim was discovered and the subsequent revelations about the alleged relationship between the victim and the primary suspect.
But the case also highlights an important distinction in reporting: the sexual orientation or LGBTQIA+ identity of an individual should not be presented as an explanation for violence.
The relevant issues for the investigation are the alleged actions, evidence, relationship history and circumstances surrounding the killing—not the suspect’s membership in any particular community.
GMA’s report itself notes that the people involved were using aliases, while earlier local reports identified the victim and suspects differently. This is why published reports should carefully distinguish between confirmed police findings, witness accounts and allegations.
What happens next?
With murder charges already filed, the case now moves into the legal process, where prosecutors and eventually the courts will assess the evidence against the two accused.
For now, police have maintained that jealousy and an alleged past relationship are central to their investigation, while the prosecution will have to establish the allegations through evidence.
The tragedy began with a desperate cry for help in a secluded part of Iloilo City. It ended with an 18-year-old dead and two teenagers facing murder charges.
What appeared at first to be a brutal roadside attack has since opened a much deeper story involving a broken relationship, alleged jealousy and a suspected plan to kill.
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