Murder victim stuffed in septic tank

MANILA, Philippines - The decomposing remains of a man believed to have been murdered was found stuffed in the septic tank of a house in Quiapo, Manila yesterday morning.

The body of Jaime Lozada, a resident of Severino street, still had a fan knife embedded in his neck, said Senior Inspector Rommel Anicete, Manila Police District (MPD) homicide section chief.

The MPD is hunting down Ricky Navas, who was identified by a witness as Lozada’s killer.

Barangay 392, Zone 40 kagawad Vicente Alvarez told probers that they had been smelling a foul odor emanating from Navas’ house for over a week but could not say what caused it.

At around 7 a.m. yesterday, Alvarez and his fellow barangay officials dug up the newly cemented septic tank and discovered Lozada’s body.

A witness told Anicete that a commotion was heard in the suspect’s house, followed by the voice of a man who was begging for his life to be spared.

The same witness told probers that both the victim and suspect were involved in illegal drugs.