Winner of Miss Gay pageant in Batangas stabbed to death 13 times
A 25-year-old who recently won a local Miss Gay pageant was stabbed to death 13 times.
ABS-CBN News reported that Jericho Elliorante was found dead on Saturday, Aug. 9, at around 2 a.m. on a road in front of a chapel in Purok 3, Barangay Tangway, Lipa.
According to Aleli Buaquen, chief of Lipa City Police Station, closed-circuit television footage showed a tricycle passing near the crime scene at around 12:30 a.m.
Minutes later, CCTV footage captured a man peering into an alley. Soon after, he approached the victim’s body and removed his wallet.
The man was last spotted crossing the street toward a house and was later identified by authorities with assistance from residents.
Police immediately arrested the suspect, identified as "Paul," 26, a cook living a few meters from where Elliorante's body was found.
Buaquen said Paul confessed to the crime, claiming that while they were riding the same tricycle, the victim allegedly touched him inappropriately.
The suspect reportedly invited the victim to his house, but once they got off the tricycle and the driver departed, he stabbed the victim multiple times.
“Doon daw sa traysikel, base sa account ng suspek, ay hinihipuan siya ng victim kaya ang sabi niya nainis siya tapos hanggang sa inaya niya sa kanila,” Buaquen said.
Elliorante's family, however, asserted that Jericho was respectful, with his sister Janine describing him as kind and well-liked.
“Mabait po siya, sobrang bait po niya. Person with disability po siya at halos lahat po ng tao dito kasundo niya,” Janine said.
“Doon po kami hindi maniniwala, kasi po 'yung kapatid namin 'yan, ayaw-ayaw niya pong lolokohin sa lalaki. Opo, bakla po siya, pero ayaw na ayaw po niya na dadaitan siya ng mga lalaki, galit po siya," she added.
Authorities later found the empty wallet in a grassy area where Paul had thrown it away.
They also discovered that he had been out of a drug rehabilitation center for only a few months.
“Sa background ng suspek siya ay na-rehab noong around May," Buaquen said. "Ngayon taon lang ay ni-release mismo siya ng rehab kasi unfit na siya for treatment kasi base sa kaniyang ipinapakita, nire-resist niya ang rehabilitation."
Paul has been charged with murder and is currently held at the Lipa City Detention Center.
