Netflix has become the go-to streaming site for anyone who loves to binge on true crime documentaries. The streaming platform doesn’t disappoint too because it regularly releases new documentary films or mini series to satisfy the appetite of true crime aficionados.
You can find true crime content from different countries like the US, UK, South Korea, and India. All the variety made us wonder... What if there’s a true crime documentary on Netflix about a real life incident here in the Philippines? Which true crime event will it be?
Well, we’ve rounded up some of the most infamous true crime events in our country’s history that we think deserve a Netflix documentary to tell its tale.
The Bangladesh Bank Robbery
Money heist stories may not be as terrifying as cold-blooded serial killers and puzzling unsolved cases, but they are no less fascinating and deserving of a potential documentary feature.
In 2016, hackers tried to steal close to $1 billion from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York account of the Bangladesh Bank. As you may have already guessed, the Bangladesh Bank is the central bank of Bangladesh.
The attempt to steal that much money was only partially successful as the hackers managed to only steal $101 million from the account. So how exactly did the Philippines get roped into this international money heist? Well, $81 billion was transferred to accounts in the country.
To this day, no one knows who the mastermind is behind the robbery.
The Murder of the Chiong Sisters
In 1997, sisters Marijoy and Jacqueline Chiong went missing in Cebu. It was alleged that the sisters had been raped and murdered. A body, said to belong to Marijoy, was eventually found in a ravine, but that has been contested. Jacqueline was never found.
The court convicted Paco Larrañaga and six other men of the murder of the Chiong sisters despite evidence and witness testimony showing that Larrañaga was all the way in Quezon City when the crime took place. As he is a dual Filipino and Spanish citizen, Larrañaga was able to move to Spain to serve his prison sentence there instead.
If you find murder case of the Chiong sisters interesting, you might think of the conspiracy theories that stemmed from it the same way. You might even find these theories, which include the theory that both sisters are actually alive, might interest you even more.
The Murder of Nida Blanca
Veteran actress Nida Blanca, whose real name is Dorothy Jones, was found dead in the backseat of her car in 2001. Her battered body bore 13 stab wounds.
Her husband, Rod Strunk, became the prime suspect of the investigation after it was alleged that he ordered his wife to be killed because she left him out of her will. A self-confessed killer named Philip Medel came forward and accused Strunk of ordering him to kill his wife.
Things got more complicated when Medel took back his initial statement and claimed he was tortured until he provided a false confession. Despite the fact that he recanted his statement, Medel remained in jail until his death in 2010.
As for Strunk, he was eventually charged for the murder of Nida Blanca. However, he was in the United States when he was charged and the country refused to extradite him to the Philippines. Strunk committed suicide in 2007.
Serial Killers in the Philippines
There has always been a debate about whether or not serial killers can flourish in the Philippines. Many like to argue that really isn’t possible. Communities in the countries are just so tight-knit and, well, people like to say that Filipinos are natural chismosas for serial killers to remain hidden.
However, history has shown us that yes, there have been serial killers in the Philippines. One of which is the first documented serial killer in the country, who also happened to be a priest. Father Juan Severino Mallari reportedly killed 57 people in Pampanga in the belief that killing people will cure his sick mother.
