Entertainment: Killer of 'Baywalk Bodies' member identified?

MANILA, Philippines – The family of singer Rejoice Rivera received a text message from an unnamed person who allegedly identified the gunman who killed Rivera, a member of the all-female sexy singing group “Baywalk Bodies.”

In an interview with “The Buzz,” Rivera’s mom, Nieves Santos, said the text message was sent to her on December 31, the same day the singer’s body was discovered along North Luzon Expressway. Rivera, whose real name is Dianne Marie Santos, suffered 2 bullet wounds on her head.

“Noon 31 may nag-text sa akin, may binanggit siyang pangalan ‘yong bumaril kay Rejoice. Nangyari ika to sa NLEX noong 29. Sabi niya, ‘Hindi na makaya ng konsensya ko. Ayoko pong madamay dito.’ Tinanong ko po siya, ‘Nasaan na si Rejoice?’ Sumagot pa din siya. Sabi niya, ‘Hindi ko na din alam,’” Santos said.

Santos last saw her 26-year-old daughter on December 28. “Nagkwe-kwento siya sa akin, ‘Mama, may nag-text sa akin na gusto daw makipagkita sa akin.’”

The following day, Santos said, Rivera was a no-show in an event, prompting her worried friends to declare her missing. “Unusual para kay Rejoice na hindi mag-text.”

Santos said her family remains clueless as to why her daughter had suffered a gruesome death. She also dismissed speculations that Rivera’s sexy image was the reason behind the tragedy.

“’Yon ang pinagtataka ko kung bakit siya pinatay sa ganyang paraan. Alam ko naman na walang kagalit, walang masamang tinapay yan,” she said.

When asked to give a message to Rivera, Santos said: “Rejoice, kung nasaan ka man ngayon mahal na mahal ka namin. Salamat sa 26 years na binigay mo sa amin, 26 years na hindi nasayang, 26 na ginawa mong buhay na buhay ang pamilya natin.”

As for Rivera’s killer, she said: “Sana makonsensiya ka. Sana matakot ka din sa Diyos. Sana huwag mangyari ito sa’yo, sa nangyari sa anak ko. Pinagdadasal kita.”

The “Baywalk Bodies” became popular after releasing their novelty hit “Kiliti.” They also got involved in a controversy after posing almost nude along Roxas Boulevard in Manila.