Vivamax artist Gina Lima was reportedly found dead inside her condominium unit in Quezon City. Her body was discovered by her ex-boyfriend Ivan Ronquillo who allegedly took his own life a few days later.
According to reports, investigation led by La Loma Police Station identified the victim as 23-year-old Gina Lima, who was discovered unresponsive on Nov. 17, Monday morning, by her ex-boyfriend, model Ivan Ronquillo, at her residence in Barangay Katipunan, Quezon City.
Authorities said Lima and Ronquillo separated three years ago, but he had recently visited her at her condo.
Upon waking up, Ivan reportedly noticed that Gina was no longer breathing. He rushed her to Quezon City General Hospital, where she was declared dead on arrival.
Initial findings listed cardiorespiratory distress as Lima’s cause of death. While investigators noted bruising on her thighs, police said these did not contribute to her passing.
The results of her toxicology and histopathology tests are still pending to determine her exact cause of death.
Just a few days after the incident on Wednesday, Nov. 19, Ronquillo was reportedly found dead as well in the same condo unit after an alleged suicide attempt.
Lt. Col. Jose Luis Aguirre of the La Loma Police Station said Ronquillo was brought to Quezon City General Hospital, but doctors were unable to revive him. Authorities received information indicating that Ronquillo had taken his own life.
“May nagreport po sa amin na itong boyfriend [ng namatay na Vivamax actress] na si Ivan Cezar Ronquillo ay nagpakamatay,” Aguirre confirmed on DZRH News.
Before his death, Ronquillo had shared a series of emotional posts on Facebook, including photos and videos of him and Lima during their relationship.
One clip showed him crying beside a woman believed to be Lima. In his caption, he expressed his heartbreak and suggested he intended to “follow her” in death.
“Mahal na mahal kita Gina hinding hindi ko kaya na wala ka sa tabi ko at hinding hindi ko kaya mabuhay nang wala ka. Sobrang sakit na sa tabi pa kita nawala. Hayaan mo susunod ako sayo at makakasama na kita alam na natin satin dalawa na walang makakapigil sa pagmamahal natin,” Ivan wrote.
“Eto na pala ‘yung huling pahinga natin baby dapat sinabi mo. Mahal na mahal kita sinermonan mo pa ko kay papa kasi ‘di ko binati at panay ka sabi sa papa mo na namimiss mo na siya ngayon baby susunod ako sayo dyan kung asan ka man,” another caption read.
In a separate post, Ronquillo uploaded videos of his injuries, alleging that a man had caused them. He also expressed hope that justice would be served for both the physical harm he suffered and the misinformation being spread about him online.
Following news of Gina’s death, speculations of physical abuse surfaced after some netizens blamed Ivan for the bruises found on her body. This sparked calls for justice online with many users expressing sympathy for her and anger toward Ronquillo at the time.
Meanwhile, Viva insiders told The Philippine STAR that Lima, who hailed from Bayugan, Agusan del Sur, had signed up with the streaming platform Vivamax (VMX). But after contract signing, she didn’t get to do a project with the entertainment company because she was no longer interested in going sexy.
Ronquillo, on the other hand, is identified in reports as an aspiring model. No other information is available.
Investigations into the deaths of both Lima and Ronquillo remain ongoing.
