Rape victim burned alive?

A still unidentified woman was found naked and burned in Baclaran, Parañaque City Monday morning.

Police are still waiting for autopsy results, but investigators advanced that the woman could have been raped before she was set on fire alive.

Case investigator Police Officer (PO2) Anthony Alising described the victim to be 18-21 years old and 5’5"-5’6" tall.

Investigation showed MMDA traffic enforcer Robert Gomito discovered the body along the seawall of Roxas Boulevard near the Airport Road in front of BM Tower at around 12 noon.

The victim, who was still alive when Gomito found her, was taken to the Philippine General Hospital where she died.

Superintendent Ruben Catabona, Parañaque police chief, said that police are still gathering leads to establish the woman’s identity. "We still couldn’t say what’s the possible motive for the crime. We are still investigating," he said.

Catabona said found with the body were the victim’s black purse containing P226, a slipper, and cover of a container that smelled of flammable gas.

Alising said that the victim could have been burned on the site with her clothes on. Investigators noticed that her clothes were stuck on the ground and that the plants surrounding her were also burned. The area smelled of burnt flesh as well.

"She was probably knocked unconscious before she was set on fire," he said.

Alising added her hair had been completely burned as well as her upper torso. But her waist revealed smooth fair skin. "Her nails were also clean and well-trimmed. It seemed to me, she was pretty well off," Alising said.

Incredibly, with Roxas Boulevard being a busy thoroughfare that is usually with bystanders at the seawall, nobody saw anything suspicious happening. Alising said they have yet to find a good lead and a credible witness.

Catabona said that people who are high on drugs, extremely jealous, or insane are capable of committing such a gruesome crime.

The body is now at the Mesina Funeral Services in Las Piñas.

Meanwhile, the Valenzuela City police yesterday conducted pursuit operations against two armed men on board a motorcycle who robbed three employees of a rubber goods factory of some P300,000 in payroll money.

Valenzuela police chief Senior Superintendent Leopoldo Urena said Gomenzita Rubio, Annie Serrano and driver Larry Marzan, all employees of Titan Rubber Corporation located at the Raminel Subdivision in Barangay Veinte Reales, were held up at gunpoint by two motorcycle-riding men, one of whom has been identified by witnesses. An artist’s sketch of the suspect was also given to the media by Urena. — Nikko Dizon and Jerry Botial