Family seek justice for 20-year old student stabbed to death in Lipa City

LIPA CITY, Batangas — The family of a 20-year-old architecture student stabbed to death while walking home from school is demanding justice as police investigate the killing and pursue three persons of interest.

Jazmine Iya Martinez, a third-year architecture student at National University (NU) Lipa, was attacked at around 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday in Barangay Duhatan.

Her mother, Lilibeth Martinez, had worked in Taiwan as a caregiver for seven years to provide a better life for her family. She never expected to return home to mourn her daughter.

“Yung sakit, talaga tagos hanggang likod. Yung hindi siya maipapaliwanag ng kahit na sino tao dahil walang kayang  makapapaliwanag kung ba’t ’yon ginagawa sa kanya.” She said.

Lilibeth said she knew of no one who had a grudge against her daughter, adding that Jazmine’s routine was limited to going to school, home and church.

Police said a motorcycle rider followed Jazmine as she walked home before stabbing her five times.

Barangay watchmen who responded to the incident initially thought Jazmine had been involved in an accident. They discovered she had suffered stab wounds only after rushing her to the hospital.

Closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage showed Jazmine walking home from school in Barangay Duhatan. Another recording captured a motorcycle making a sudden U-turn before following her, while a separate clip showed the motorcycle fleeing after the attack.

Authorities said the suspect remained difficult to identify because the rider had covered his face and removed the motorcycle’s license plate.

“Nakatakip ang mukha at yung motor niya walang plaka,tinanggal niya kaya may pagpaplano pero hindi ibig sabhin noon na hindi natin siya mahahanap dahil lahat ay  may paraan para maidentify,” said Police Lieutenant Colonel Aleli Buaquen, chief of the Lipa City Police Station.

Investigators are pursuing three persons of interest and are looking into a possible crime of passion or a motive involving intense anger toward the victim.

“Ito yung mga maaaring may romantic relationship nagkaroon o mayroong, romantic affair with the victim. So hindi ito kaso ng,  na-eliminate na natin yung, yung kaso ng maaaring pagnanakaw o kaya yung rape, hindi rin yun. So more on, ang intent talaga dito ay siya ay paslangin,” she added.

Buaquen said robbery and rape were not considered likely motives, adding that investigators believed the attack was intended to kill Jazmine.

Lilibeth appealed to the suspect to surrender and urged authorities to solve the case as quickly as possible.

“Sana matulungan nila ako. Hindi man, hindi man ganun kadali pero sana kahit papaano-mabigyan ng hustisya si Jazmine, hindi ko akalain na mangyayari ito sa sarili ko anak”

The Lipa City Police Station has formed a special investigation team to focus on solving Jazmine’s killing.