THE dismembered body of a man found in Iloilo City on November 6, 2023, was identified.
Police identified the victim as Kristopher Cabalquinto, 32, from San Miguel, Iloilo City.
Police said Cabalquinto was identified through his unique features such as long fingernail, and a mole.
His body parts were discovered in separate locations in Barangay Ticud, La Paz, and Barangay Buhang, Jaro.
Police said they found three sachets of suspected shabu in Cabalquinto's body.
The victim was last seen riding a motorcycle with an unidentified woman at a convenience store on November 2.
This alarming discovery comes after Cabalquinto went missing, leaving his family deeply concerned for his well-being.
Cabalquinto's family had issued a search notice, hoping for his safe return.
The investigation into Cabalquinto's disappearance and murder is ongoing, with authorities working diligently to gather evidence and identify the perpetrators, as his body parts were discovered in separate locations, confirming his fate. The motorcycle and cellular phone are currently missing.
Relatives clarified that Cabalquinto did not have a criminal record in the barangay. There was no information suggesting that anyone held grudges against Cabalquinto, as he was known to be a peaceful and unassuming individual.
Felisa Cabalquinto, the grieving mother of the slain child, pleads for justice and appealed to the conscience of the perpetrator.
The mother expressed her hope that the individual responsible for her child's death would be deeply troubled by their conscience.
Victor Alcon, village chief of Barangay 7 San Miguel, said Cabalquinto has no negative records in the barangay.
Alcon stated that the victim is a silent individual with no records of fighting or illegal drugs in the barangay. He stated that his barangay has been declared drug-free.
The brutal nature of the crime has sparked outrage and concern among residents. Panay Alliance Karapatan, a human rights group, condemned the murder and called for a thorough investigation.
In their statement, Panay Alliance Karapatan said, "Such extremely gruesome cruelty on a human person does not belong in a civilized world and definitely not in a city being touted as one of the best livable cities in the world. Such savagery should not be allowed to happen again. Regardless of whatever faults of the victim, if any, he or she should be made to face the law and not be subjected to inhumane treatment or killed summarily."
The group also expressed concern about the possibility of law enforcement involvement, citing the use of "tokhang" operations against suspected drug offenders.
"Authorities should get to the bottom of this despicable crime, conduct a thorough investigation, and bring the perpetrators to the bars of justice. More so if they are police officers or government agents themselves implementing 'tokhang' against suspected drug offenders, then the whole law-enforcement system gravely needs to be corrected and re-oriented," the group said.
Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) Director Police Colonel Joeresty P. Coronica said that based on the intelligence report, the victim is involved in illegal drugs.
This revelation has shifted the focus of the investigation, as initial reports suggested the possibility of the victim being a target of a crime of passion.
"Base sa intelligence na nakuha nato, ang victim is involved sa illegal drugs. Mao ni karon ang atong ginalantaw because there are reports na as per initial investigation na possibly siya ginpatay sa uban, crime of passion as alleged," Coronica said.
[Based on the intelligence report that we gathered, the victim is involved in illegal drugs. We will look into this because there are reports as per initial investigation that it was a crime of passion.]
A cardboard note with a signature found with the body that read "Ibalik ang kamay na bakal. Babala sa mga pusher. PDU30," and a greeting of "Merry Christmas 2023."
"As far as ICPO is concerned, I can categorically say that ICPO has nothing to do with this gruesome criminal act," Coronica clarified.
"We are entertaining two angles like crime of passion and his involvement in illegal drugs," Coronica said.