THE Labangon Police Station 10 will conduct an investigation into the brutal killing of a 19-year-old girl who was bound with a packaging tape, wrapped in a blanket and then put in a cardboard box.
Police Major Angelito Valleser, chief of Labangon Police Station, identified the fatality as Rhea Mae Batoy Tocmo, 19, a native of Jasaan town in Misamis Oriental, but was temporarily residing in Barangay Looc, Mandaue City.
Tocmo was found dead and wrapped inside a cardboard box left on the roadside in Sitio Mohon, Barangay Tisa, Cebu City on Monday, July 17, 2023.
Valleser rejected claims that the victim was tied with a wire but with a tire interior.
According to the examination by the personnel of the Scene of Crime Operatives (SOCO), they did not see evidence of torture such as bruises.
“Ang estorya sa SOCO ninglugdang man gud to nga dugo, ang kadtong mga nakita nga bun-og inagian daw to sa binanganan sa lawas gani katong ingon nga tattoo dili to tattoo agi pud to sa binanganan, ang katong mga lagom tungod sa kahugot sa paghikot,” Valleser explained.
(According to SOCO the blood appears, the bruises found were tie marks. the bruises on her body that appeared to be tattoo-like were actually tie marks, and the swelled flesh was caused by how tightly the knot was tied).
Valleser said the victim had just arrived in Cebu last June 11 to find a job.
The police are trying to identify the persons who were with the victim before she passed away.(BBT, TPT)