‘Chop-chop lady’ killer Whisenhunt deported

MANILA, Philippines—The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has deported Stephen Mark Whisenhunt, convicted killer of “chop-chop lady” Elsa Castillo, whose body was mutilated after being stabbed to death in 1993.

In a statement, Immigration Commissioner Ricardo David Jr. said Whisenhunt, an American citizen, had been placed on the BI blacklist so he could no longer return to the country.

Whisenhunt, Castillo’s lover, left recently for Los Angeles, California, after spending 19 years behind bars at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City.

“His involvement in a gruesome crime makes him a very undesirable alien who should not be allowed to reenter our country,” David said.

It was learned that although the Pasig City Regional Trial Court had sentenced Whisenhunt to reclusion perpetua in 1993, his sentence was commuted for good conduct while in prison.

He was released from the national penitentiary on Dec. 27 and was turned over to the BI to facilitate his deportation to the United States.

Under the law, foreigners convicted of crimes shall, after service of sentence, be deported to their country of origin and banned from reentering the Philippines.

Known as the “chop-chop lady,” Castillo was stabbed to death by Whisenhunt inside his condominium in Greenhills, San Juan, on Sept. 24, 1993.

Whisenhunt was convicted of the murder on the basis of the testimony of his driver, Demetrio Ravelo, who testified that the victim’s body was mutilated after she was stabbed and her body parts were dumped hours later along a road in Bagac, Bataan.

Ravelo said Whisenhunt had asked him to help wrap the body, which turned out to be the dismembered remains and severed head of Castillo.

At least two movies were produced based on the gruesome murder, one of which, “The Elsa Castillo Story,” starred TV host Kris Aquino.—Tina G. Santos