A woman, on her eighth month of pregnancy, was accused of stealing P13,000 in Anilao town, Province of Iloilo.

Alias "Jessel" was allegedly frisked and told to undress. 

The stress that the incident has caused upon Jessel led reportedly to the loss of the baby boy inside her womb. 

Her live-in partner, alias “Elmer,” said that the baby would have been their third child.

According to Elmer, Jessel, was accused by a brother in law of stealing P13,000. The incident happened in their residence in Barangay Palaypay, Anilao town. 

“Ginawan nila ng record ang asawa ko na wala namang ginawa. Ang sa akin, humihingi ako ng justice sa aking anak,” Elmer said.

According to police investigation, a teacher identified only as alias "Jellie" paid P53,000 on January 22, 2025 to Jessel's brother in law. The money was for the harvesting and loading of sugarcane billets. 

Earlier, the teacher paid reportedly P60,000 which brings the total amount to P113,00 to cover labor costs. 

Jessel's brother in law went reportedly inside the house of his mother in law and placed the money on a ledge at the porch where Jessel, and Jessel's friend named "Adreann" were hanging out.

However, the brother in law began looking for P13,000 he said was missing. 

“Nagbilang siya ng pera, ang kabuuan lang sa harap namin ay 100 thousand pesos. Tapos four times niyang binilang, tapos binilang niya ang kabuuan. Tapos binilang niya ang 20, 40, at ang last 40, 100 pa rin ang kabuuan,” Jessel’s sister in law named “Emelyn” said.

The brother in law called Jellie up to come back.

The brother in law asked the women several times to tell him who took the money, until he sought the help of barangay officials.

According to a barangay councilwoman (referred to locally as a "kagawad") who was among those who responded to the situation, the teacher asked them to have the women's belongings checked, and the women frisked, but the kagawad declined.

It was Jellie who allegedly frisked Jessel, and told her to undress.

“Nagulat rin kami nang sinabi niyang maghubad. Nasa labas ako, nasa loob sila. Kaso makikita rin sa kurtina kasi nakatali ang kurtina. Ang sala at ang silid magkaharap. Nagulat rin ako kasi hinubad niya ang panty dahil naka-duster ang babae, si Jessel,” Jasmine Alincastre, barangay kagawad of Palaypay, Anilao, narrated.

Meanwhile, Adreann, who was also accused, said she could have been seen by Jessel had she taken the money. Or that she could have seen Jessel had the latter taken the money. 

“Kung si Jessel ang kumuha ng pera, sana makikita ko. Kung ako naman ang kumuha, sana makikita rin ni Jessel,” Adreann pointed out. 

As for Jellie, she denied undressing Jessel.

She said Jessel removed her underwear voluntarily inside the room to show that she had not taken or hidden the money.

“Hindi ko pinwersa. Sino ako na maghubad sa kanya? Siya ang nagsabi para ma-justify niya rin na wala siyang itinatago. Kailangan ipakita nya. Pero hindi ko pinahubad ng kanyang duster,” Jellie added.

Further, Jellie denied vehemently that she threatened Jessel. She said they talked about the missing money calmly.

Four days after the incident, Jessel was taken to the hospital for stomach pains.

It was determined that the baby died in her womb.

“Tatlong araw na umanong hindi gumagalaw ang bata na noong Linggo pang sumasakit ang kanyang tyan. Akala namin manganganak na siya ngunit pagdating sa ospital, sabi ng doctor patay ang bata sa kanyang sinapupunan,” Analyn, Jessel's mother in law, said.

The incident has reached the attention of the authorities.  

According to Barangay Palaypay Chairman Gonzalo Ditching, he learned from a barangay health worker (BHW) that Jessel has hypertension.

“Nalaman ko sa BHW ko na may high blood ang babaeng buntis. Baka isa yun sa nag-trigger,” Ditching said.

As for Police Captain Kate Apaitan, chief of Anilao Municipal Police Station, he will reach out to the family to provide assistance. 

"Accordingly, dahil sa stress sa nangyari. Pero sisikapin nating mag-reach out sa pamilya kung ano ang ating maitutulong," Apaitan said.

GMA Regional TV One Western Visayas tried to seek comment from Jessel's brother in law but he was not around in his residence.

As of this writing, Jessel’s family has mulled on lodging a complaint as soon as Jessel is dispensed from the hospital and has fully recovered.