The Broken Promise: An Anatomy of the Double Murder, R.a.p.e, and Robbery of a Young Couple in Calbayog, Samar

On June 14, 2022, the city of Calbayog, Samar, was rocked by the discovery of two bodies in separate barangays: 23-year-old teacher Roan Jallen Lamparas and her 20-year-old boyfriend, Mechanical Engineering student Jade Andrei Bestudio. Both victims had suffered fatal g.u.n.s.h.o.t wounds to the head.

Roan, however, endured a fate far more grievous; besides being m.u.r.d.e.r.e.d and robbed, forensic evidence indicated she was also r.a.p.e.d. The brutal and senseless k.i.l.l.i.n.g.s of the promising young couple quickly ignited widespread condemnation and a furious demand for justice across the Philippines.

The Victims and Their Last Hours

Roan Lamparas, the eldest daughter of Rosita and Gorgonio Lamparas, was a beloved, kind, and cheerful teacher at Calbayog City National High School. Although she initially wanted to be a police officer, her mother dissuaded her due to the danger, leading Roan to pursue a degree in Education at Northwestern Samar State University.

Jade Bestudio, described by his parents as a good son, was a third-year Mechanical Engineering student at the same university. The couple began dating in 2020, and despite a three-year age gap, their bond was strong, enjoying the full support of both families.

On the morning of Monday, June 13, 2022, Roan’s mother woke her up. Despite being tired and advised to rest, Roan insisted on going to school. This would tragically be their last moment together. In the afternoon, Roan texted Jade to pick her up. Before heading home, the couple joined Roan’s co-teachers for a meal out. The couple then rode Jade’s motorcycle to his house, where Roan greeted Jade’s parents.

As darkness fell, they left again, supposedly so Jade could drop Roan off at a location where she was meeting friends for a Samgyup dinner. Around 7:00 PM, Roan messaged her mother, sending photos with her friends and saying she would be home late. When Roan still hadn’t returned close to midnight and her phone became unreachable, both families grew frantic, realizing they had both failed to come home.

The Discoveries and the Immediate Investigation

The next morning, Rosita Lamparas went to the Bestudio family home, only to find them equally distressed. The couple had last been seen around 8:00 PM the previous evening after Roan had asked Jade to pick her up from the Samgyup place. The families reported the suspicious disappearance to the police station.

Just before 11:00 AM on June 14, police received a call: the body of a male was found near the DPWH Diversion Road in Barangay Policarpio. Teresita and Claudio Bestudio immediately identified the victim from photos as their son, Jade.

The aspiring engineer’s body was found lying in a ditch beside an open sewer, wearing shorts and a black undershirt, his eyes reportedly showing tear marks, suggesting the terror he endured in his final moments. He had a g.u.n.s.h.o.t wound to the head, and a shell casing was recovered nearby. Jade’s personal belongings and his motorcycle were missing, leading police to initially suspect a case of robbery with homicide.

The question then was: where was Roan?

The answer came nearly nine hours later. Around 8:00 PM, police received another call regarding a female body discovered in a bushy, desolate area near the City Hardware in Barangay Bagacay, approximately eight kilometers from where Jade was found.

Rosita Lamparas rushed to the scene. The body was unrecognizable, her face obscured by hair. Police showed Rosita a photo of a temporary tattoo on the victim’s arm, but Rosita said it wasn’t Roan. However, upon seeing a photo of the shoes found beside the body, Rosita broke down in tears, confirming the victim was indeed her daughter.

Roan’s body was found in a more horrific state: she lay in the overgrown weeds wearing only her underwear. Her uniform, shoes, and other belongings were scattered nearby. Her valuables were missing, solidifying the robbery motive. A medical-legal examination concluded that Roan d.i.e.d from intracranial bleeding due to a g.u.n.s.h.o.t wound to the head. Crucially, signs of blunt trauma (suggesting she was struck with a hard object) and forensic evidence, including the presence of seminal fluid, indicated she had been r.a.p.e.d before her d.e.a.t.h.

The Breakthrough: CCTV, Eyewitnesses, and the Minor Suspect

The police immediately launched an intense investigation. Jade’s missing motorcycle was recovered along a roadside later that morning. Reviewing CCTV footage along the road, investigators spotted two motorcycles passing by around 10:00 PM the night of the m.u.r.d.e.r.s. One had three passengers, and the other, a single driver.

Eyewitnesses came forward, confirming they saw two motorcycles matching the CCTV footage. On one motorcycle, they saw three passengers, one of whom—a female—appeared unconscious and was seated in the middle.

They later identified the female as Roan Lamparas. The witnesses recalled that the single-rider motorcycle stopped, seemingly due to engine trouble or lack of gas. The driver then joined the other motorcycle, and the four individuals (three male, one unconscious female) left on one bike, leaving Jade’s motorcycle behind. This established three persons of interest who had been with the unconscious Roan.

A Special Investigation Task Group was formed, and the Mayor-elect of Calbayog City, Raymond Uy, and City Councilor-elect Jessie Janan offered a reward for information leading to the arrest of the perpetrators.

Following instructions to check all individuals with outstanding warrants for robbery, the police, aided by tips from the public, identified the persons of interest. On June 16, 2022, the combined forces arrested Jericho Pajardo (alias Chokoy), who had a standing warrant for a robbery case from June 2021.

Pajardo denied involvement in the m.u.r.d.e.r.s. Another person of interest, Glen Baculpo, who also had an existing robbery warrant, was subsequently arrested. A g.u.n found in his possession was submitted for ballistics testing.

The Confession and the Conclusion

The ultimate breakthrough came three days later. Around 12:30 AM on June 19, 2022, the third person of interest, a 15-year-old minor identified as alias Janjan, surrendered to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (CIDU), accompanied by his mother. Consumed by guilt and fear after his accomplices were arrested, Janjan confessed, providing crucial details that solved the case.

Janjan’s Testimony:

On the night of June 13, 2022, Janjan, Jericho, and Glen (all riding on one motorcycle) drove along the diversion road.

They spotted Roan and Jade parked and talking. Glen declared a HOLD-UP at g.u.n.p.o.i.n.t.

Janjan was shocked to recognize Jade, who was his fellow resident from Barangay Hamorawon. Jade pleaded with them not to hurt them, offering their money and belongings. Janjan also begged his companions not to harm the couple.

Glen, enraged that they had been recognized, declared that this fact meant they had to k.i.l.l them. He immediately s.h.o.t Jade in the head, causing him to fall into the canal.

Roan, crying and terrified, was forced by Glen to climb onto the motorcycle. The blunt trauma found on her body likely occurred during the struggle to subdue her, causing her to lose consciousness.

The three men took the victims’ belongings and drove away, with Janjan riding Jade’s motorcycle.

After Janjan’s motorcycle broke down (or ran out of gas), he joined the others on Glen’s motorcycle, leaving Jade’s bike behind (the one recovered by police).

They stopped at a dark, bushy area where Glen carried the unconscious Roan into the thicket. Janjan and Jericho stayed on the road, where they heard Glen r.a.p.e the victim. (Police theorize Roan may have regained consciousness and fought back, leading Glen to s.h.o.o.t her again before the r.a.p.e).

Janjan later led police to Roan’s bag, which was recovered and analyzed for fingerprints.

Justice Achieved

Based on Janjan’s testimony, on June 20, the charges of Robbery with Homicide Aggravated by Rape were filed against the three accused. Jericho Pajardo and Glen Baculpo were imprisoned. Janjan was turned over to the DSWD but was later transferred to a Women’s and Children Protection Desk custodial facility after an escape attempt.

The police believed they had an airtight case:

DNA Evidence: Seminal fluid recovered from Roan’s body was expected to match one of the suspects.

Ballistics Match: Empty shells found at the c.r.i.m.e scene matched the g.u.n recovered from Glen Baculpo.

Fingerprints: Fingerprints recovered from Roan’s bag matched one of the adult suspects.

The community expressed disappointment that Glen and Jericho had standing warrants for robbery but were not apprehended earlier, allowing them to k.i.l.l again. The police chief explained that the old warrants had not reached their unit’s knowledge until the investigation began.

The families of Roan and Jade continue to hope for the maximum penalty for the accused. Janjan, being a minor, will be transferred to a regular prison upon turning 18 due to the severity of the c.r.i.m.e. The tragic loss of Roan and Jade remains a stark reminder of the unpredictable danger that lurks, destroying young lives and brilliant futures in an instant.