CEBU, Philippines - The skeletal remains of a woman, who went missing in Maria town of Siquijor since December last year, was found in the woods of Sandugan village in Larena town, also in Siquijor.
The decomposed cadaver was found hanging, with a black belt tied to her neck, from the branch of a balitungog tree. Several of her bones were also scattered on the ground below.
A farmer, Argie Magsalay, who went uphill to collect firewood, was the one who discovered the cadaver and immediately reported it to the police.
Responding Larena policemen — Senior Police Officer 2 Aidene Lloyd Paculba, PO3s Junrex Suminguit and Eric Ponce, and PO1s Alvin Ponce and Pedrito Vios—confirmed the remains belonged to the missing Benjie Teresa Pagente Adlao, based on the distributed photo and her photo found on the scene.
They also found near the victim’s cadaver a black handbag containing a Bible, a rosary, a rosary guide, a tickler and two pictures of her children.
Authorities said Teresa had three children with a husband, a seafarer working abroad. Immediate family members were still confused over the cause of her death. —Renan Lapinig Ansing (FREEMAN)