By Glazyl M. Jopson
BACOLOD CITY – Police are investigating the death of a man found lifeless in a grassy area in Barangay Alangilan on Monday.
Police Maj. Joeil Reclamado, head of Police Station 5, identified the victim only as “Christian,” a resident of Barangay Estefania.
The victim was discovered lying on his side with a visible injury to the nape, his mouth, hands, and feet bound with duct tape.
A passerby discovered the body around 7:25 a.m.
Authorities also recovered five sachets of suspected shabu from the victim’s pocket, though police have not confirmed if the drugs belonged to him or were planted.
Reclamado said the nature of the injury remains unclear pending the results of the postmortem examination.
He added that the victim may have been killed elsewhere and dumped in the area, but no witnesses have come forward as of this writing.
Police are tracking two to three persons of interest in connection with the killing.
Reclamado said the victim last contacted his family Sunday night after meeting with a sibling earlier that day.
He previously worked at a call center canteen and recently volunteered with a political group for the December Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections.
Police are still determining the motive and are reviewing the victim’s background for possible leads.
According to Reclamado, the victim had no record of involvement in illegal activities, aside from a reported debt complaint.
Investigators are exploring whether the debt may be a possible motive, though nothing has been confirmed.
Police also have not ruled out the possibility of summary execution, pending further investigation.
Meanwhile, in a separate incident, a newborn baby girl was found abandoned inside a passenger jeepney in Barangay Zone 8, Talisay City, Negros Occidental, on Sunday night.
Local police received the report Monday morning and referred the case to the Department of Social Welfare and Development, which now has custody of the infant.
Marichu Clavecillas, speaking to Bombo Radyo Bacolod, said her male friend alerted her after hearing a baby crying inside the jeepney.
She immediately brought the infant to the Talisay City Health Office for medical care, noting that the umbilical cord was still attached.
She declined to provide further details.
Authorities have not yet identified the person responsible for abandoning the child.
