Missing child of slain policewoman found dead in Tarlac

Missing Son of Slain Police Officer Found Dead in Tarlac

The child of a policewoman who was earlier found dead in Pulilan, Bulacan has also been discovered deceased, this time in Victoria, Tarlac, authorities confirmed on Thursday.

According to a report by GMA Integrated News’ Bea Pinlac, police received information Thursday afternoon about a body found in Barangay Maluid, Victoria. While initial reports said authorities were still verifying the victim’s identity, confirmation later came from the child’s father.

Victoria Chief of Police Major Marty Calara announced Thursday evening that Police Senior Master Sergeant John Mollenido, the ex-husband of the slain officer, positively identified the body as their child.

The victim’s mother, Police Senior Master Sergeant Diane Marie Mollenido, was found dead on January 24 in a creek along the Pulilan–Baliuag Bypass Road in Barangay Dulong Malabon, Pulilan, Bulacan. She had sustained a gunshot wound to the head.

Authorities said the investigation into the child’s death is still ongoing, including efforts to determine the exact cause.

In an interview aired on 24 Oras, John Mollenido acknowledged that he is among the persons of interest being looked at by police. He expressed grief over his former wife’s death, saying that while they had personal disagreements in the past, she did not deserve what happened to her.

Meanwhile, police are also focusing on a car sales agent as a person of interest in the killing of Diane Mollenido. Investigators are examining several possible motives, including a financial angle linked to a vehicle transaction.

Southern Police District spokesperson Lt. Margaret Panaga said the agent played a role in the sale of a vehicle and was personally known to the victim. The agent was described as Mollenido’s godchild, which authorities believe explains the level of trust involved in their dealings.

The agent is currently missing. On Wednesday, police served a search warrant at his residence in Quezon City, where the victim was reportedly last seen alive.

Investigators recovered blood traces from the house, which are now undergoing forensic testing. Authorities said the samples will first be confirmed as human blood before being compared with the DNA of the slain police officer.

Police continue to pursue all leads as they work to piece together the circumstances surrounding the deaths of both the policewoman and her child.