DNA identifies victim; suspect in Cansojong killing now in custody

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Police have arrested a suspect in the killing of a 48-year-old caregiver whose severed head was found in Barangay Cansojong, Talisay City last July 11, after DNA tests confirmed her identity.

Talisay City Police Station chief Lt. Col. Homobuno Sayon said that investigators reviewed CCTV footage around the area where the head was found.

The footage led investigators to the suspect, whom Sayon referred to only as “a certain RR” in a press briefing.

“Kadtong naghimo ta’g CCTV back tracking and forward tracking, didto nakita nato ang paglabay gyod mismo didto sa ulo,” Sayon said. (Through CCTV back-tracking and forward-tracking, we saw exactly where the head was dumped.)

Search warrant, then arrest

Police obtained search warrants for the suspect’s residence, vehicle, motorcycle, and computer devices.

While implementing the warrant over the weekend, police recovered firearms and illegal drugs in plain view. That led to the arrest, Sayon added.

Investigators also recovered a motorcycle allegedly used to dispose of the victim’s head, based on CCTV footage, along with a sharp weapon, which police identified as a katana.

This was believed to have been used in connection with the crime. Bone fragments were also retrieved during the search and have been submitted for forensic examination.

Case traces back to July 11

Her son had reported the victim missing. The 25-year-old son came to Cebu from Zamboanga City on July 11 after learning that an unidentified skull had been found along Dawis Road in Barangay Cansojong.

Police said that an e-bike driver first found the skull as he was scavenging in the area. He immediately alerted authorities.

The son had last heard from his mother on July 4. Family members later learned she had allegedly left her employer’s home without permission several days earlier. That incident had been reported to the police.

The son provided a DNA sample via buccal swab, which authorities compared against the recovered remains.

Charges to be filed

Sayon said that the firearms and drugs charges will be filed first, followed by the murder case once the evidence has been fully evaluated and documented.

“Karon, atong unahon pagpasaka ug kaso katong sa armas, then to follow ang murder,” he said. “Regular filing tong murder.”

(For now, we will prioritize filing the case for the firearms, and the murder case will follow. The murder case will undergo regular filing.)

According to police, the suspect also faces a pending murder case and an outstanding arrest warrant in Zamboanga City. Local authorities there will handle that separately.

Used DNA test to be sure

Sayon said that only one suspect has been identified so far, but that could change depending on the results of a forensic examination of computer-related data recovered from the suspect.

Talisay City Mayor Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas said that police had circumstantial evidence against the suspect for some time but held off on the arrest until DNA results confirmed the victim’s identity.

He said the motive has yet to be determined.

Gullas commended the police for the arrest, saying in a Facebook post that investigators did not rush the process in order to build a case that could stand in court. Sayon said the assigned investigators conducted the probe methodically.

Bone fragments have already been recovered, but police continue searching for the rest of the victim’s remains.

A preliminary DNA match has been established, with comprehensive results expected within two weeks, Sayon said.

The suspect remains in police custody while authorities prepare the weapons and drugs charges, with the murder case to follow.

Disclaimer: The comments uploaded on this site do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of management and owner of Cebudailynews. We reserve the right to exclude comments that we deem to be inconsistent with our editorial standards.