Habal-habal driver found dead in creek at Mandaue-Consolacion border

CEBU CITY, Philippines —Police are continuing to investigate the death of a 48-year-old habal-habal driver whose decomposing body was found beside a revetment wall along a creek at the boundary of Barangay Casili, Mandaue City, and Barangay Sacsac, Consolacion, Cebu, shortly after 11 a.m. on Friday, August 7.

The victim, a resident of Barangay Pulog, Consolacion, was identified by his relatives.

Police have yet to determine how the victim died or what prompted him to enter the area where his body was found.

Police Captain Bryan Mansing Temprosa, chief of the Canduman Police Station under the Mandaue City Police Office, said investigators were able to trace the victim’s movements through CCTV footage. The footage showed him entering the Upper Casili area on Wednesday, August 5.

Temprosa said the victim left his motorcycle in the area which was later recovered and turned over by barangay personnel.

Police also learned from two young witnesses that they saw the victim running alone toward Lower Casilia and deeper into the area at around 9 a.m. on Wednesday.

However, the police have yet to establish what the victim was doing there or what happened after the witnesses saw him.

“Wa pa ta kabalo gaunsa siya didto, under investigation pa pud namo kung gaunsa siya atong lugara,” Temprosa said.

(We still don’t know what he was doing there, as we are still investigating what he was doing in the area.)

On Friday, a resident found the decomposding body and sought assistance, prompting police to respond.

The victim’s body was found beside the revetment wall of Casili-Consolacion Creek, with the head already showing signs of decomposition.

No initial signs of foul play

Temprosa said the initial police assessment showed no apparent signs that the victim had been attacked.

Police found no visible strangulation marks or other wounds on the body, while the victim’s belongings were recovered intact.

“Sa iyahang lawas pud, sa among nakita, wala man pud siyay mga strangulation or mga samad, mura’g nadugta ra gyud siya kay naa ma’y tubig didto. Medjo nadugayan lang gyud siya didto iyahang sa ulo dapit. Pero initial findings namo, wala ramay head fractures or kung gipasakitan siya,” Temprosa said.

(Based on our examination of his body, we did not see any signs of strangulation or injuries. It appears that the body had decomposed because there was water in the area. The body had been there for quite some time, particularly around the head. But based on our initial findings, there were no head fractures or signs that he had been assaulted.)

Temprosa said the victim’s position appeared consistent with the possibility that he had crouched or sat down before his body slipped into the water.

“Gahukdong ra siya, mura ra siyag galingkod dayon ni-slide siguro ang lawas sa tubig, maong ang ulo niya maoy nahumol sa tubig,” he said.

(He probably just fell. It seems like he was sitting there, then his body may have slid into the water, which is why his head ended up submerged.)

But the police have yet to determine whether a medical condition or another factor caused the victim to end up in that position.

SOCO findings

The victim’s body was already turned over to the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) for further examination, while investigators continue checking the circumstances surrounding his death.

Temprosa said the medical and forensic findings would help determine the cause of death.

“Mahibaw-an ra na sa medical finding sa SOCO nato kung ngano siyang namatay,” Temprosa said.

(The cause of death will be determined by the medical findings from the SOCO.)

Police are also investigating why the victim went into the area.

Temprosa said the area where the body was found is not easily accessible and has reportedly been frequented by young people from other areas who allegedly use illegal drugs.

However, he stressed that police have yet to establish whether this had any connection to the victim’s death.

Temprosa also said police were aware of a reported background of illegal drug use involving the victim, but authorities have not established whether drug use played any role in his death.

As of Saturday, Aug. 8, investigators were retracing the victim’s movements from the time he entered the area on Wednesday and awaiting the SOCO and medical findings to determine what happened to him.

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