PRIMARY SOURCES IN YOUR POCKET
Group number/Name: GROUP 6
Date: August 18, 2024
Program/Course: BS in ARCHITECTURE
Group Members:
1. VALDESTAMON, ZEAN CURLIN G.
2. MONDRAGON, JOHN LESTER E.
3. TAJA, MERSHINE
4. INOCENCIO, LHIAM ANTHONY
5. CARPIO, YANNY
Subject (Hypothetically Deceased
Person)
Name: TAJA, MERSHINE
Gender: Female
Approximate Age: 18 years old
Other identifying details: Studied at Palawan National High School year
2024-2025 with a strand of HUMMS. Her birthday is on September 2,
2006, her exact age is 18 years old according to her school ID. Currently
enrolled at Palawan state University, BS in Architecture, 1 st year student
according to her COR. And she is originally from Ramos, Balabac,
Palawan.
Primary Sources found with the Deceased Person
Primary source Description details What it's suggest about the
person
ID cards School ID from Palawan
national High School,
It suggests the identity of a
her name is Mershine S.
deceased person
Taja, 18 years old,
Female.
Photographs It gives an exact position of
the victim after a crime
scene.
Receipt Ticket N/A
Card/ N/A
Membership
s
Notes Letters N/A
Other items:
Cellphone A message from her It gives a contact of friends
friend named Yanny
Carpio pops up on the
lock screen of her phone who might know some details
asking if she is on her
way
Certificate of She is a 1st year student.
Registration Year 2025-2026 first It suggests that she is
(COR) semester. Her name enrolled in BS Architecture at
Mershine S. Taja, 18 Palawan State University.
years old, female.
CCTV footage A footage of the victim
leaving the PSU at
It gives an exact event
11:40 PM. She stopped
happened on a crime scene
in front of the gate
while using her phone.
Bloody knife A kitchen knife used to It suggests the reason for the
stab the victim. person 's death.
Reconstructed Life History
The crime scene investigation was conducted on Barangay Sta.
Monica, Pajara Street, Rafols Road, Puerto Princesa City, the following
report is homicide of one BS in Architecture student at Palawan State
University, main campus. The crime scene investigation started on
August 14 2025, by conducting an investigation we recover 1 deadly
weapon, ID of the victim, CCTV footage and we spoke to one of the
witnesses, by the help of primary evidence. The victim is known as
Mershine S. Taja, 18 years old, female, student of Palawan state
university. The victim is going home alone at 11:40PM after a yell
practice but based on her chat on messenger she was invited by her
friend to go to her house for a sleepover located at Sta. Monica, Pajara
street, and while she is on her way walking at Rafols Road the whole
town suddenly blacked out, as she walked rapidly while holding her
phone with a flash light on, a man is following her unknowingly with an
intention of stealing her things. When the suspect got the perfect timing,
he forcefully took the bag of the victim while the victim tried to defend
herself by pushing away the suspect and run trying to ask for help.
However, the suspect grabbed her hand and stabbed the victim 3 times.
One person unexpectedly witnessed the crime scene and he
immediately called the police. When the police arrived, there were a lot
of people around the victim. They surrounded the area with cordon to
preserve evidence and order to predict the scene and record the time
after. When our team arrived in the area we recorded everything on the
crime scene, we got all evidence including deadly weapon a kitchen
knife, cellphone, and school ID. Also, 1 of my team captured the shot in a
different perspective that can be used as proof, and by the help of CCTV
footage we present the exact time and event of the crime, all evidence we
recover was examined.
The police later caught the suspect known by his nickname Alyas Pako,
who has multiple prior theft and robbery cases. But as of now he doesn't
want to give his side or the story to tell. However, the finger print found
in a knife was the same as the finger print of the suspect providing clear
evidence.
Historical Interpretation
What aspect of her life is easiest to reconstruct?
The aspect of a deceased person that is easiest to reconstruct is her
identity because she has her school ID that provides some details about
her, including her name, age, birth date. Also, in what university she is
studying and what program she is enrolled in.
What Information was missing or unclear?
The unclear information is whether the suspect intended to
kill the victim or if the homicide qualifies as murder because
the victim was stabbed three times. However, based on the
CCTV footage, the suspect appears to be attempting to grab
her bag, which creates a confusing scene and offers a
different perspective on what happened.
What assumption did the group have to make?
1. We assumed that the victim named Mershine S. Taja was only living on
a boarding house or living with her relatives here at Puerto Princessa
city, because according to her school ID from Palawan National High
School she is originally from Ramos, Balabac, Palawan.
2. We assumed that the cause was homicide and that killing the victim
was not part of the suspect’s plan.