HALIFAX – It’s been six days since police in the Philippines announced they had four suspects in the murder of Fredericton businessman Harry Doyle.
Among those authorities are investigating is the 62-year-old’s wife, Erma Jane Undang Doyle.
Police in Surigao City – where the Doyles lived with their 12-year-old son and ran a guest house – said in an email to Global News on Friday Jane Doyle and Jerome Tanora Devocion, a resident of Jane’s Lodge, were going to be charged in connection with the man’s murder.
The announcement came just days after police filed documents in a local court alleging two men – Jhonny Parian and Jeffrey (Opok) Parian – were involved in the fatal shooting on Sunday, Aug. 12.
Harry Doyle was shot multiple times after spending time with his wife, son and other family members in the beach resort area of Punta Bilar.
Local police originally reported the shooting happened after two men approached Harry for food. Police said he pushed one of the men, before the other opened fire.
He died after being shot five times.
Global News contacted Philippine National Police spokesperson Martin Gamba Wednesday to confirm the latest details in the investigation.
Gamba said investigators believe Jane was having “an illicit relationship” with Devocion, who was employed as the Doyles’ driver and bodyguard.
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“The two other suspects were the ones hired to do the job,” Gamba said in a telephone interview.
“That’s the subject of the investigation,” he said.
Although The Fredericton Daily Gleaner reported Filipino police were aware Jane Doyle is now in Canada, Gamba was surprised to learn of her whereabouts.
“We believed that she was still in the Philippines because right after the incident the investigators are following her and she will not be allowed to leave the country because of that case,” he said.
Global News contacted Joan Doyle, Harry sister, for clarification. She said Jane arrived in the city Aug. 25, the day after a memorial service was held at St. Dunstan’s Catholic Church.
Joan says her sister-in-law is going through a “great loss” and the family is going to presume she is innocent until proven otherwise, adding Jane is six to seven months pregnant and suffering distress.
“We intend to treat her with respect and dignity,” she says. “We’re not in any way accusatory. We’re going to let justice unfold… We’re not playing judge and jury.”
She says the family has been in contact with Jane since she arrived in Fredericton.
The family was in the dark about the investigation until last week.
Under Filipino law, Harry’s next of kin, needed to give permission for police to release information, but Jane had not filled out the necessary paperwork.
Joan says as of last Thursday it was arranged for the Canadian Embassy to provide updates to the executor of Harry’s will – his other sister, Anne Doyle.
“We’ve been informed four suspects have been charged in my brother’s murder and according to Filipino law, after charges have been laid the accused have 15 days to respond to the charges before the prosecutor will make a decision to proceed with arrests and trial.”
That period is almost at the halfway point, she adds.
The Daily Gleaner quotes Philippine National Police investigator Mark Anthony Miole as saying “Jane Doyle will be extradited from Canada.”
But, the Fredericton Police Department has not been asked to get involved in the case.
Const. Danielle Carmichael says although they are aware of the case, but could not comment on the investigation or the possibility of extraditing Jane to the Philippines.
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