Case of 2 boys found dead in car ‘unofficially closed’

MANILA, Philippines - The Taguig City police has declared the case of two missing boys who were found dead inside a car in Barangay Wawa last July 16 as “unofficially closed.”

Taguig police chief Senior Superintendent Arthur Felix Asis said an autopsy report furnished by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) last Thursday supported initial findings by police investigators that the deaths of Dayne Buenaflor, three; and James Naraga, four, were caused by an accident and no foul play had been involved.

Asis, however, said that the case is still “unofficially closed” as the Taguig police is still waiting for the results of a polilight test done by the NBI on the Mercedes Benz sedan where the bodies of the two boys were found on the morning of July 16.

The two boys were reported as missing by their parents last March 27. Asis said the NBI autopsy report said the boys died from severe dehydration.

A polilight is a high-intensity light source based on a 500-watt Xenon arc lamp. The infrared light emitted by the device can help investigators identify dried body fluids such as blood, semen and sweat.

“Since the NBI polilight test has no result yet, we cannot make the official report. Unofficially, the case can be declared closed,” said Asis in a text message.

Buenaflor and Naraga were found inside a heavily tinted black 190 E Mercedes Benz (UGX-606) parked at a fenced lot owned by Leonardo Valenzuela along Dama de Noche street at about 10 a.m. Buenaflor is the nephew of Barangay Wawa captain Phillip Buenaflor.

Police said the bodies were found by three boys who were asked by Butch Valenzuela, the lot owner’s brother, to clean the lot. The Mercedes Benz is owned by Butch, police said.