Former beauty queen slain in Isabela; PNP intensifies manhunt

A former beauty queen was shot dead Friday evening, February 13, 2026, in front of her three minor children outside their residence in Barangay Cabaritan here, prompting the Philippine National Police (PNP) to order a full-scale manhunt.

Police identified the victim as Lullete Jane Ramilo-De Guzman, 32, a public school teacher and Miss Philippines Earth 2013 runner-up.

Authorities said she was seated inside a vehicle with her children at around 6:45 p.m. while her father was opening their gate when a gunman riding an unplated motorcycle approached and fired multiple shots at her.

Ramilo-De Guzman sustained gunshot wounds to the face and body. She was rushed to Manuel Roxas District Hospital but was declared dead on arrival. Her three children were not physically injured, but they were left traumatized after witnessing the attack.

The assailant fled eastward along the national road in the town’s District 3 immediately after the shooting. No suspects have been identified as of this writing. Investigators are awaiting results from the crime laboratory to determine the type of firearm used.

Police Major Rogelio Natividad, chief of the San Manuel Municipal Police Station, said authorities are examining possible motives behind the killing. He said investigators are exploring both personal and professional angles in the case.

In a statement, Isabela Police Provincial Office director PCOL Manuel B. Bringas vowed to pursue those responsible. “We will not let those responsible for this shooting escape. We will take all steps to identify and apprehend the suspects and provide justice to the victim and his family,” he said.

Ramilo-De Guzman had completed her degree at the University of Perpetual Help System-Isabela campus before joining the public school system.

On Sunday, PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr. directed regional police offices to intensify operations against the perpetrators of the Isabela killing and a separate fatal shooting involving an electric cooperative official in Oriental Mindoro.

“Strong words of condemnation against these cowardly attacks are not enough, we will focus on identifying and arresting all those involved in these two killings in the interest of justice and the rule of law,” Nartatez said in a press statement.

He added that the regional directors of Police Regional Offices 2 and 4B have been tasked to conduct deeper investigations to establish the identities of the suspects and uncover their motives.

Meanwhile, the victim’s partner, Clifford Dela Cruz, expressed grief over her death on the eve of Valentine’s Day. “It breaks my heart so much to see my children crying because of the trauma they witnessed in what happened [to] their Mommy,” he said in a Facebook post.

Authorities said the investigation remains ongoing.