"Salvage" victim found in Barili identified

CEBU, Philippines - The cadaver of the alleged “salvage” victim found with a single gunshot wound to the head dumped in a secluded area in Barangay Guibuangan, Barili town was already identified by his father yesterday morning.

Floretido Tabalin went to Tupas Funeral Homes in Carcar yesterday after he saw on television the news Monday about the dead body discovered in Barili.

Floretido positively identified the victim as his son, Yrwin Jasper Tabalin, 34, who is second among three siblings. They live on C. Padilla Street, Barangay Mambaling, Cebu City.

The fatality allegedly left home Saturday morning and did not return since then.

Yrwin was found in a very secluded area in sitio Palalong, barangay Guibuangan, Barili town Saturday evening.

His both hands and feet were hogtied with a packaging tape and dumped 100 meters away from the place where the body of six-year-old Ellah Joy Pique was found.

Yrwin’s white T-shirt with black undershirt has writings that read “Idol ko si Angelo Reyes, kawatan ko” using a pink sign pen while his eyes and mouth were covered with a packaging tape with a line that also reads “Piyait must die” written in black pentel pen.

He was found by a group of male persons only wearing underwear stashed in a black garbage bag. An empty shell of a caliber .45 ammunition, believed to be used in killing the victim, was also recovered from the crime scene.

Senior Insp. Marlon Gumabao, Barili police chief, told The FREEMAN that they are now closely coordinating with the family of the victim for more information and possible identification of the suspects.

“We are now coordinating with the family and the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO),” Gumabao said, adding there is possibility that Yrwin was killed in Cebu City and dumped in Barili town. – (FREEMAN)