Police have launched a manhunt for a man tagged in the death of a 33-year-old female Grab driver whose body was found under the kitchen sink of a condominium unit in Cainta, Rizal last Sunday.
A report reaching the office of Police Brig. Gen. Edward Carranza, Philippine National Police Region 4-A director, identified the victim as Maria Cristina Palanca of Barangay San Roque, Antipolo City.
Police identified the suspect as Paolo Largado, legal age, a tenant of a condominium building in Barangay San Andres, Cainta.
Initial investigation disclosed that authorities discovered the lifeless and bloodied body of Palanca around 4:15 p.m. when tenants of the condominium building noticed a foul odor emanating from the unit.
Palanca’s head was wrapped with a plastic and her body was already in an early state of decomposition, investigators noted. Palanca was identified by her sister, Shirley, who first reported that the victim went missing almost a week ago.
According to Shirley, her sister left their house last May 23 after she received a booking from a Grab passenger. The last known trip of Palanca was from Antipolo City to a mall in Mandaluyong City.
A day after, Palanca failed to return home, prompting Shirley to seek the help of authorities and file a missing person report to the police.
Police disclosed that after Palanca accepted her last booking ride, she proceeded to the condominium unit of Largado in Cainta and never went home since then. The relationship between the victim and suspect has not been established.
A closed-circuit television footage showed Palanca stepping out of her black Toyota Avanza with license plates DAE-3053 and entered the condominium building, police noted.
A separate CCTV footage showed Largado leaving the condominium building and driving Palanca’s vehicle. The victim’s vehicle, according to police, was found in Lucena City, Quezon.
Police Lt. Col. Alvin Consolacion, Cainta police chief, said the suspect pawned the vehicle to a friend.
Palanca’s body was brought to Heaven’s Gate Memorial Chapel in Cogeo, Antipolo City for autopsy.
Police are determining the cause of Palanca’s death and the motive behind the killing. (Martin Sadongdong)