In this episode, I delve into the heartbreaking stories of three young women whose lives were cut short by senseless violence. First, I explore the case of Mitzi Joy Balunsay, a young and promising college student in the Philippines who was murdered in 2017 under harrowing circumstances that continue to haunt her community. I also examine the 2023 murder of Queen Leanne Daguinsin, another vibrant young student whose brutal death revealed unsettling truths about campus safety. Lastly, I...

In this episode, I feature three cases that all involve the heinous crime of modern slavery and its iterations. This episode is in commemoration of Anti-Slavery Day, which is celebrated yearly on October 18th. The first case in this episode is from the US and it involves a Filipina who was kept hidden as a slave by her Filipino "employers" for a total of 19 years. The second case is an Australian case that stunned residents of Sydney in the early 2000s. It involves a young Filipina who was...

It has been two years since I last covered the case of Pastor Apollo Quiboloy and his megachurch, The Kingdom of Jesus Christ, The Name Above Every Name. I cover a lot in this episode, so make sure you take breaks in between. In this episode, I make sure to highlight how Quiboloy went from confident preacher to a church leader in hiding. There are going to be details about the case in the US and the Philippines and how Quiboloy became the straw that broke the camel's back when it came to the...

In this episode, I delve into the life and untimely death of the talented Filipino artist Bree Jonson. Known for her evocative, nature-inspired paintings, Bree was on the cusp of further recognition in the art world when tragedy struck. On 18th September 2021, she was found dead in a hotel room in La Union, a popular beach town in the Philippines. Beside her was Julian Ongpin, the son of a wealthy and influential businessman, which immediately added layers of complexity and controversy to the...

In this episode, I dive into one of the most chilling and brutal crimes in Manila's history. On August 26, 1963, a violent robbery at the RCA Building on Canonigo Street shocked the city, leaving five security guards dead and others narrowly escaping with their lives. Armed with an axe found on the scene and a twisted plan, the gang of perpetrators pulled off a staggering heist, but the real twist lies in who was behind it all. Tune in and listen to the details of this gruesome crime, the...

In this episode, I explore the mysterious and tragic death of Steven Alston Davis, a British national found dead in his Makati apartment in 2002. What seemed like an ordinary crime turned into a shocking revelation of betrayal and deceit. Who was responsible for this heinous act, and what were the true motives behind it? Join me as I piece together the events leading up to that fateful night, uncovering secrets that would leave even the most seasoned investigators stunned. Tune in to hear...

In September 1995, Felipe and Evelyn Pestaño were anticipating the return of their son Philip who was working on board the BRP Bacolod. Their son was a young cargo officer in the Philippine Navy. What was supposed to be a heartwarming welcome turned into a bitter and tragic realisation that Philip had apparently died on board the navy ship under very suspicious circumstances. What followed were years of agony, legal battles and disappointment after disappointment for the Pestaño...

In November 2021, a prominent teacher at the Philippine High School of Arts in Los Baños, Laguna died under vague circumstances. This was the start of an avalanche of revelations about this teacher's sexually abusive behaviour and the school that protected him all these years. His death was the catalyst that broke a seal of silence amongst former students of the Philippine High School of Arts who have been harbouring secrets and nightmarish trauma from their youth - trauma from being...

Mabuhay, LagimFam! Welcome to the first ever episode of Lagim: After Hours, a semi-regular bonus content series that I am embedding in the regular feed as well as on my YouTube feed. The episodes are mainly a more freestyle vodcast but I have extracted the audio for the podcat-only audience in case you do not want to watch a video. There are not a lot of SFX, bits and bobs, we just dive right into the topic and case and see where it leads us. After Hours will cover smaller cases, cases...

On the 2nd August 2023, Jerhode Jemboy Baltazar and his friend, Sonny Boy, planned a fishing trip to earn a couple of bucks. The boys set out to first clean their boats before sailing out but as they were minding their business, a group of police officers approached their area in Navotas and opened fire. Sonny Boy saw his friend fall into the water, only to never surface alive anymore. Another young soul taken by the very authorities tasked to protect and serve Filipinos. Jemboy's killing...

Overseas Filipino Workers or OFWs have long been dubbed as the Philippines' modern-day heroes. They leave family and friends, their comfort zones, their culture and homes behing to try their luck in foreign and far-flung countries, hoping to earn a better living than from the few opportunities offered back home. In July 2022, Jullebee Cabilis Ranara, a native of Las Piñas decided to try her luck again in Kuwait after a successful stint in Bahrain some years before. In the early days of her...

On the 4th March, a group of armed men in military gear entered the residence of Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo. What looked to be a normal Saturday of meeting his constituents suddenly turned into a nightmare that his family is still living to this very day. In a matter of days, it became apparent that the killing of Degamo was not just an unfortunate incident. Signs and evidence point at a greater conspiracy to eliminate the governor who may have stood in the way of another family's...

Hi LagimFam! I am releasing this episode a week earlier as it is my birthday weekend and I want to fully be in the moment for the next weekend and the next couple of weeks as I go travelling again. So today, I am presenting the story of Blessie Gotingco, a Filipino expat in New Zealand who in 2014 met a cruel fate at the hands of someone who was not completely unknown to the authorities. This was a heartbreaking one for me to cover because at the very core of this case is the fact that this...

Two years after her death, justice for Filipino artist Bree Jonson remains elusive. This is frustrating, heartbreaking and a stark reminder that the wheels of the justice systemin our country is so slow and so hindered by power, influence and wealth that it might as well be stationary at this point. I decided to re-release this to help the case in some small way, to have people care more or care again, to get her name out again because her family deserves closure and we, as Filipinos, need...

Hi LagimFam! This is the last instalment of the Martial Law Series for this season. In this episode, I look into the incredible life of Maria Lorena Barros, a remarkable Filipina activist and the founder of MAKIBAKA. From her early years to her pivotal role in the face of Martial Law, Lorena's story is a testament to the power of conviction and resilience. Join me as I honour her legacy and explore the impact of her tireless dedication to justice and equality. The link to my sources are...

Hi LagimFam! I am finally back and with me is this season's first instalment of The Martial Law Series. In this episode, I delve into a somber chapter of Philippine history as we explore the Escalante Massacre of 1985. Join me as I give a brief history of sugar and as I uncover the events leading up to that fateful day in the town of Escalante, Negros Occidental, and the tragic consequences that unfolded. I briefly discuss the political climate of the time, the plight of sugar workers and...

In this Pride Month episode, I cover two cases involving a trans woman and a trans man, respectively. I talk about Jessa Remiendo from Pangasinan and Ebeng Mayor from Quezon City. I want to issue one of many trigger warnings at this point as some of the details in these cases are truly upsetting. *** For the past two years or so, I have refused to cover cases of our fellow Filipinos within the LGBTQIA community during this month because I thought I'd be doing more harm than good. But in the...

Links to our partner, Bedtime True Crime Spotify - CLICK HERE Apple - CLICK HERE Hi LagimFam! This week I am doing something a bit different. As I need more time to prep the next Lagim episode, my friends over at 1Up Media thought it would be a great idea to have the second episode of their newest Podcast, Bedtime True Crime, make a guest disappearance on Lagim's feed. I thought it was a great idea too! Bedtime True Crime is a calm and thoughtful podcast that examines the darkest...

Mabuhay, LagimFam. This week, come dive with me into an international case that has echoed globally - the Mitsero Killings, involving Cyprus' first recognized serial killer. In this episode, I narrate the chilling events in the serene village of Mitsero in Cyprus. I cover the 2019 discovery of the bodies of several women and children, all foreign workers and their dependents, concealed in suitcases in a toxic lake. I honour the victims' lives cut short and scrutinise the societal...

On 11th October 2011, some residents of Brgy Putho-Tuntungin in Los Baños, Laguna woke up to a horrible discovery in one of their canals. It was the body of a young woman who seemed to have been murdered only a few hours before. This discovery would send shockwaves all throughout the municipality of Los Baños, best known for the University of Los Baños, a top state university that sits in an open campus, embedded in the local community. Listen to this episode now to learn more about Given...

In September 2017, a family was left waiting and then reeling when reports emerged that their son has died as a result of hazing. A once brilliant light in his family's life, Atio's star was extinguished so prematurely after going through the intiation rites of teh Aegis Juris Fraternity, a fraternity based and supported by the University of Santo Tomas Law School. Atio's death sparked media outrage and a burning desire within his parents to end the system tha killed their son. Listen now to...

It was 2021 and most of the world was still in the tight grip of the COVID-19 pandemic that started the year before. Countries had implemented strict lockdowns. Life as we knew it came to a grinding halt and we were being bombarded by daily updates of COVID deaths, as if it was just a part of our lives then. It was therefore all the more jarring when news out of the UK talked of a missing Filipina and her young daughter. The news stood out. It was not COVID-related but, as it turned out, it...

In 2006, two UP Diliman students and an elderly farmer from Hagonoy, Bulacan were forcibly taken, abducted and illegally detained in secret military facilities as a part of a crackdown on activists suspected of supporting the military arm of the Communist Party of the Philippines, the NPA or National People's Army. The three desaparecidos' case would come to highlight a deeply corrupt military system, propped by the government at the time and a wildly obtuse way at looking at left-leaning...

In October 1994, friends of Emelita Villa Reeves woke up, not having heard from their friend for over 24 hours. The last moments they had with her were worrying. Emelita always answered or returned calls and page notifications, so why was she not doing this now? When people finally paid attention to Emelita's disappearance, they would uncover a history that seemed to show a disturbing pattern of behaviour. But not by Emelita. Listen now to learn more. The sources list is here. Support...