Our heart goes out to Frances Lei's two kids

Our heart goes out to 
Frances Lei's two kids

"Murder’s out of tune, And sweet revenge grows harsh." WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

By Alex P. Vidal

When I heard that mall shooting victim Frances Lei Reyes, 22, had left behind two kids -- a three-year-old boy and two-year-old girl -- my heart was broken. Any parent would feel the same.  
Frances Lei was apparently a victim of love triangle -- a crime of passion.
Now that their mother, a single parent, is dead, the kids, fathered by two different men, will grow up without a home. They already "lost" their respective fathers; and now they have lost their mother in a violent manner. We normally encounter this kind of story only in the movies, but the incident happened in real life.
The kids are too young to understand the circumstances surrounding the sudden death of their mother. Frances Lei's killer or killers (to include the mastermind or masterminds) are also answerable to these kids who will grow up without a complete family. 

GUNMAN

As of this writing, suspected gunman Enrico "Jun Jun" Robles Jr., 37, has not yet surrendered. Since Chief Insp. Alexander Rosales, City Proper police chief, released his identity to media over the weekend, Robles' whereabouts were not yet known. His family has expressed fears for his life amid reports that Robles was only allegedly hired to liquidate Frances Lei of Brgy. Sta. Rita, Oton, Iloilo.
Police probers said Robles is a casual employee of the Iloilo city government and assigned as "market enforcer" under City Hall Local Economic Enterprise Office chief Vincent de la Cruz. Several eyewitnesses have positively identified Robles. The murder was also caught on CCTV, police said.
Initial reports said De la Cruz is allegedly the father of one of the victim's kids. He, however, refused to issue a statement and has hired a lawyer to speak on his behalf.

VISIT

Sources said Frances Lei was always seen visiting the office of De la Cruz "to ask for alimony" when she was alive. De la Cruz's wife reportedly begrudged Frances Lei's presence in De la Cruz's office. "She has been embarrassed and hurt because of the ugly gossips in city hall," a source from the Iloilo Central Market, who requested anonymity, told me last Saturday.
The father of her first child is reportedly now in the United States with another family. Frances Lei's mother works in Singapore. The victim's parents are separated, it was reported.
Police were still trying to piece together the circumstances that led to Frances Lei's cold-blooded murder and wanted De la Cruz to cooperate with the investigation. 

RECOVER

Police have recovered the victim's cellphone and digital tablet where photos of her alleged lover were reportedly stored. She was shot in the head at close range last January 27 evening outside the Robinsons Mall on Quezon St., City Proper. 
John Paul Reyes, the victim's younger brother, said they want justice for his sister who was reportedly "secretive" and did not reveal to them her love life. "We are enraged!" he hollered. 
Murder charges are expected to be filed against Robles and his accomplices by the Police Precinct I this week.