Influencer Gina Lima died at age 23 three days before her ex-boyfriend, Ivan Cezar Ronquillo, died at age 24.
Filipino newspaper The Philippine Daily Inquirer reported that Lima was pronounced dead on November 16 after she was brought to a hospital by Ronquillo. The hospital was located in Quezon City, a city in the metropolitan area of the capital Manila.
According to the outlet, a medico-legal report from the Quezon City Police District’s Forensic Unit claimed she sustained nonfatal external injuries while having fluid in her lungs and a congested heart.
Lima’s official cause of death was not revealed, as investigators wait for toxicology and histopathology tests.
The outlet reported that QCPD spokesperson Police Major Jennifer Gannaban said in a press briefing that marijuana and other medications were located in the room where the influencer was found.
Ronquillo was subsequently found dead in the stairway of his home in Quezon City on November 19. He was pronounced dead when arriving at the hospital, the outlet reported. Police Lt. Col. Edison Ouano, chief of the QCPD Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit, claimed Ronquillo’s death is being investigated as a suspected suicide.
Ounao allegedly told the outlet that police are investigating online harassment Ronquillo received after news broke of Lima’s death. Ouano also claimed that Ronquillo was never a person of interest in the ongoing investigation surrounding Lima’s death.
One day before his own death, Ronquillo paid tribute to Lima via social media.
“I love you so much gina I can never do it without you by my side and I can never live without you it’s so painful that I lost you by my side let me follow you and be with you we both know that nothing can stop our love natin [sic],” Ronquillo wrote via Facebook, translated to English.
Filipino influencer Emman Atienza has died. She was 19. “It’s with deep sadness that we share the unexpected passing of our daughter and sister, Emman,” a joint Thursday, October 23, Instagram statement from Atienza’s parents and siblings read. “She brought so much joy, laughter, and love into our lives and into the lives of everyone […]
Ronquillo’s father later honored his son in a message after his death.
“I really love you. I wasn’t able to hug you. It’s too late that I only hugged you when you were already dead. I feel bad for not letting you experience that embrace,” he wrote, according to GMA Network, a Filipino news network.
Another loved one added, “We are looking at the possibility that one of the causes of my nephew’s death, or his passing, was due to the overwhelming number of people who judged him on social media. I hope this serves as a lesson to everyone that you shouldn’t be judging right away, you should first find out the whole story.”
Lima has more than 182,000 followers on Instagram, where she rose to online fame sharing lifestyle content. In her last post before her death, Lima posed for a series of bikini photos, writing in the caption, “Life is better in a bikini.” Several users went on to share their condolences, writing, “RIP gorgeous. 😔.”
Ronquillo, meanwhile, amassed more than 34,000 Instagram followers, with his most recent upload being a series of selfies on June 17.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.
