DEATH CASE | Vowing fairness, Eleazar refutes claims of favoring Ongpin in Jonson case

September 27, 2021 , 11:17 AM

By Beatrice Puente

(September 27, 2021) – The Philippine National Police (PNP) promised to carry out a fair investigation into the mysterious death of an artist in La Union, PNP chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said on Monday, countering claims they are favoring the son of a billionaire involved in the case.

Eleazar assured the public of their commitment to help the family of Bree Jonson, a 30-year-old painter who was found unconscious in a hostel room. She was later declared dead in the hospital. Julian Ongpin, her boyfriend and last known companion, stands as the person of interest in the case.

“Hindi kaaway ang inyong PNP sa kasong ito at sa halip ay kakampi sa paghahanap ng katotohanan,” said Eleazar. “We decided to open this case to the public purposely to prevent unfair allegations and speculations due to the personalities involved and being turned into a false rich versus poor narrative.”

Ongpin, the son of business tycoon and former trade minister Roberto Ongpin, was briefly held in jail after police officers seized 12.6 grams of cocaine from their hostel room. It would have been enough to detain him under the law while the investigation is ongoing but the provincial prosecutor ordered his release last week.

Many people raised criticisms over the incident which they believe highlights the different treatment of the rich and the poor by law enforcers. Some pointed out that the poor would often be shot dead or immediately jailed but the rich like Ongpin can easily be released within days.

State prosecutors from the Department of Justice (DOJ) are now handling the preliminary inquiry into Ongpin’s drug charges to provide impartial handling of the case.

Sally Jonson, the artist’s mother, hopes that the investigation would shed light on the truth behind her daughter’s death, disputing claims that she took her own life. She stressed that the marks found in the autopsy of her daughter’s remains could be an indication of foul play.

“Tinitiyak ko sa mga magulang, sa mga mahal sa buhay ni Bree Jonson, at sa ating mga kababayan na hindi ako papayag na madungisan ang pangalan ng PNP sa kasong ito and this serves as an assurance again that we will be fair and just in the conuct of the investigation,” said Eleazar.

Jonson reportedly died of asphyxia based on the autopsy but it remains unclear what caused her loss of air. Local authorities claimed there were no marks of struggle but stressed they will continue looking into all angles of the case.

A CCTV footage of the hostel revealed that Jonson and Ongpin had an argument before her death.

The PNP is waiting for the results of Jonson’s histopathology examination while the National Bureau of Investigation has conducted a second autopsy.

(PM)

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