In the quiet town of San Mateo, Isabela, 15-year-old Princess Dianne “Cess” Corpus was known for her infectious, ever-present laughter and a deep dimple that punctuated her warm smile. As the only daughter in her family, she was truly their “princess.” In October 2020, her life was brutally and senselessly extinguished, her body found discarded in an irrigation canal just a stone’s throw from her home. The search for her killer would unravel a story of the ultimate betrayal, as the investigation led not to a monstrous stranger, but to the two men who, by blood and bond, should have been her staunchest protectors: her own father and her uncle.

Princess Dianne’s young life was already marked by challenges that had forced her to mature beyond her years. Her father, Alfredo Corpus, had long been estranged from the family, having left them for another woman. To make ends meet, her mother worked abroad in Australia, caring for her grandchildren. This left Princess in the loving but temporary care of her older brother and his pregnant wife. Despite these hardships, she thrived. She was a bright and diligent student at Tabaco National High School, consistently earning high grades and dreaming of one day becoming a police officer—a protector of the innocent.

On the afternoon of October 26, 2020, her brother and sister-in-law left for a routine prenatal checkup in town. Princess, a responsible student, stayed behind to work on her school modules, a common scenario for millions of Filipino youth during the pandemic. This window of solitude, in the safety of her own home, proved to be fatal. When her brother returned that evening, he was met with a disturbing scene. The house was in disarray, a clear sign of a struggle, and Princess Dianne was nowhere to be found. A frantic, overnight search by family and neighbors yielded nothing.

The next morning, their worst fears were confirmed. Her body was discovered floating in a nearby irrigation canal, a mere 300 meters from their front door. An autopsy would later reveal the horrifying truth of her final moments: she had been raped and then struck with a hard object, a blow to the head that caused her death.

The initial investigation by the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) concluded that the assault had happened inside her own home. Her body was then carried and dumped in the canal in a clumsy attempt to conceal the crime. As the community reeled in shock, an outpouring of support and anger fueled a fundraising campaign that quickly raised a reward of over ₱235,000 for any information leading to an arrest. Witnesses soon came forward, reporting that they had seen two men—both known to be relatives of the victim—enter the home while Princess was alone.

The investigation quickly zeroed in on her 58-year-old estranged father, Alfredo Corpus, and her maternal uncle, Rogelio de los Reyes. When questioned by police in January 2021, both men vehemently denied any involvement but were compelled to provide DNA samples for comparison. Shortly after that interview, they vanished. Their flight confirmed the police’s deepest suspicions, and a massive, eight-month manhunt was launched for the two primary suspects.

The fugitives were finally tracked down to a remote, makeshift hut deep in the mountains of Quirino province, a location so isolated it required a four-kilometer hike to reach. They were arrested and brought to justice. Upon his capture, Alfredo Corpus reportedly confessed and expressed remorse for his role in the death of his own daughter.

The news that Princess Dianne’s alleged assailants were her own father and uncle sent a new wave of horror and grief through the community and her devastated family. The two men who should have protected her from the world’s dangers were the very monsters who preyed on her when she was at her most vulnerable. Her brother, grappling with the unthinkable, shared a heartbreaking detail about his sister: her lifelong dream was to join the police force. The irony was devastating; the innocent girl who wanted to be a protector was failed so completely by the men who should have protected her first.

The suspects are now in custody, facing a long and difficult trial for the heinous crimes of which they are accused. The story of Princess Dianne Corpus is a profoundly disturbing tragedy that shatters the concept of family as a safe haven. It serves as a dark and painful reminder that sometimes, the greatest evil comes from within, hidden behind the familiar and trusted faces of those who are supposed to love and cherish you the most.