Pinoys held in OFW's death in Brunei

Business Mirror
Feb 6, 2006

Pinoys held in OFW's death in Brunei

ROYAL Brunei police picked up for questioning five Filipinos and one Bruneian Thursday last week in connection with the death of Filipino national Jovita Zapanta, whose body was found in a secluded public area on January 28 in the Brunei capital, Bandar Seri Begawan.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the Philippine embassy in Brunei Darussalam is extending full assistance to the Filipinos arrested for "criminal conspiracy to commit murder."

Ambassador to Brunei Virginia Benavidez told DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Esteban Conejos that based on the initial police report, Zapanta died in another place and "circumstantial evidence" collected showed she was murdered elsewhere. Her body was found wrapped in plastic and fabric.

Bruneian pathologists said that Zapanta died either on January 26 or 27. "The embassy is working for the early resolution of the case [and] to facilitate the shipment of Ms. Zapanta's remains to the Philippines ," said Benavidez in a statement released by the DFA over the weekend.

She said the incident was reported to the embassy on January 27 by Zapanta's daughter. Benavidez said "embassy officials then immediately searched for Ms. Zapanta's residence and relatives in Brunei Darussalam. Three of Ms. Zapanta's housemates were eventually contacted, and were accompanied to the police for further investigation." E. Torres