THE DlSM*MBERED DREAM OF ASYENDA FIRENZE

I. Prologue: The Promise of a New Life

The story of Eva May Peligro is a classic narrative of Filipino aspiration. Born into a modest family in Cebu, Eva May was the “pride and joy” of the Peligro household. She was described as soft-spoken, obedient, and intensely focused on her dreams.

In 2007, she achieved a major milestone by graduating as a nurse, and she was preparing for the Nurse Licensure Examination (NLE) to secure her professional future.

By her side throughout this journey was her long-time partner, Felix Guadalquiver. Their relationship began in August 2001, a steady bond that survived the ultimate test of distance. Felix had migrated to the United States to work, with the singular goal of becoming a U.S. citizen so he could marry Eva May and bring her to America.

By 2008, the dream was almost a reality. Felix had received his oath-taking date for citizenship and had already purchased his plane ticket to Cebu to finally claim his bride.

As a symbol of their future together, Felix invested his savings into a lot and a beautiful house in Hacienda Firenze, a private subdivision in Maghaway, Talisay City. He wanted Eva May to have a safe, comfortable home while they waited for her visa. Little did he know, the very walls he built to protect her would become her tomb.

II. The Friction Under One Roof

Because Felix was in the U.S., he asked his brother, Richard Guadalquiver, to oversee the house’s construction. Richard was struggling financially and had been evicted from his previous rental. Felix, moved by pity for his brother and his child, allowed Richard and his live-in partner, Jean Madel, to move into the Hacienda Firenze house in June 2007. The condition was simple: keep the house clean and well-maintained.

In September 2007, Felix returned to the Philippines for a visit and convinced Eva May to move into the house. To ensure she wasn’t alone, Eva May’s 22-year-old cousin, Gwendolyn Balasta, moved in with her.

The living arrangement quickly became a pressure cooker.

The Household War: Felix noticed during video calls that Eva May was always the one cleaning, while Richard and Jean lived in squalor.

The Financial Cut-off: Their mother, frustrated by Richard’s behavior and his treatment of Eva May, eventually cut off his allowance.

The Resentment: Richard began to view Eva May as an “informant.” He believed she was reporting his every move to Felix and their mother, causing his financial and social downfall.

Eva May began expressing fear during her chats with Felix, noting Richard’s erratic behavior. Felix, sensing the danger, convinced Eva May to find a new apartment. They secured a unit in Mandaue and scheduled the move for July 26, 2008.

Richard Guadalquiver realized that once Eva May moved out, his “free ride” in his brother’s luxury home would end. In his mind, Eva May wasn’t a sister-in-law; she was the obstacle that needed to be removed.

III. The Timeline of the Massacre: July 24, 2008

The Trap: On the afternoon of July 24, Richard, along with his friend Joseph Roy “Jojo” Sellar, orchestrated a cold-bl00ded plan. Knowing that Eva May was constantly online chatting with Felix, they cut the internet connection to the house.

As expected, the loss of signal prompted Eva May to leave her room to check the router or ask what happened. The moment she stepped into the common area, Richard pounced. He grabbed her and strangled her with his bare hands until she stopped breathing. They then turned their attention to Gwendolyn, silencing her in the same br*tal manner to ensure there were no witnesses.

The Bathroom Horror: What happened next remains one of the most stomach-churning details in Cebuano criminal history. Richard dragged the two b0dies into the bathroom. Equipped with a kn*fe and a hatchet, he spent approximately two hours dismembering the victims.

Jojo Sellar later testified that he watched in shock as Richard methodically “chopped” the remains so they could fit into 1 black plastic garbage bags. Jean Madel, Richard’s partner, was later accused of helping clean the bl00d-soaked bathroom to hide the evidence of the slaughter.

The Disposal: Richard, who owned and drove a taxi, loaded the 11 bags into his vehicle. Under the cover of night, he and Jojo drove across various parts of Cebu, discarding the bags in different locations to make identification and recovery as difficult as possible.

IV. The Discovery and the Arrest

On July 25, Felix grew frantic. Eva May, who never missed a message, had been silent for 24 hours. He contacted her family, who filed a missing person’s report.

Later that same day, the horror was revealed. Residents in Talisay and neighboring areas began discovering the plastic bags. When police opened them, they found the “chap-chop” remains. Forensic teams and family members positively identified the victims as Eva May and Gwendolyn.

The investigation was swift. Evidence at the house and the testimony of Jojo Sellar, who eventually buckled under pressure, pointed directly to the “brother-in-law.” Within days, Richard, Jojo, and Jean were in custody.

V. The Legal Battle: Eight Years of Agony

The trial was a grueling or deal for the Peligro and Guadalquiver families. Richard and his co-accused initially pleaded “not guilty,” claiming that their confessions were extracted through police torture. However, the prosecution, led by a determined legal team and backed by the testimony of Jojo Sellar (who turned state witness in some capacities while remaining a defendant), built an airtight case.

The Motive Revealed: In court, Richard’s defense crumbled as his deep-seated resentment was exposed. He admitted he was “fed up” with Eva May “destroying” his reputation. He claimed she told people he was a dr*g user and mocked his hygiene. For Richard, the dismemberment was an act of “erasing” the person he hated most.

The Verdict (February 2016):

Richard Guadalquiver: Found guilty of m*rder and sentenced to Reclusion Perpetua (Life Imprisonment).

Joseph Roy “Jojo” Sellar: Found guilty as an accomplice/co-conspirator and also sentenced to life.

Jean Madel: Acquitted due to “reasonable doubt” and lack of direct evidence linking her to the actual k*lling, despite the suspicious cleaning of the crime scene.

VI. Aftermath: The Ghost of the Firenze House

The house in Hacienda Firenze remained abandoned for years. Its “chap-chop” history made it unsellable, and it became a local landmark for ghost hunters and the morbidly curious. The stories of the “two bl00dy women at the window” became part of Talisay folklore—a spiritual manifestation of the justice that took nearly a decade to arrive.

For Felix, the tragedy was a life-altering trauma. He achieved his American citizenship, but the woman he did it for was gone. However, in a testament to the human spirit, Felix eventually found healing through his faith and the support of his family. He eventually reopened his heart and found love again, but he remains a vocal advocate for the memory of Eva May.

VII. Conclusion: A Lesson in Trust

The case of Eva May Peligro is a stark reminder that the greatest threats sometimes come from those we call family. It exposes the volatile nature of “utang na loob” and the dangerous resentment that can grow when one family member succeeds while another fails.

The “Hacienda of Horrors” stands as a silent witness to a dream that was hacked to pieces by jealousy. It serves as a reminder to every OFW: success brings not only comfort but also a target on one’s back, sometimes placed there by the very people you are trying to help. Eva May Peligro and Gwendolyn Balasta didn’t just lose their lives; they lost the future they had meticulously built, one dollar and one nursing shift at a time.