BACOLOD CITY – The body of a five-year-old girl was found in a swamp in Pontevedra, Negros Occidental Wednesday.
Police Master Sgt. Jenne Emborniza, head of the Pontevedra police Women and Children Protection Desk, said the victim, whose name was withheld, was last seen by her family around 2 p.m. after she went with her aunt to the swamp that day.
However, she stayed in the area to play while her aunt returned home first. That night, the victim was found lifeless in the area around 9 p.m. She sustained scratches and other injuries.
Emborniza said that the victim had laceration on her hymen, an indication that there was an alleged foul play in the incident.
She, however, refused to confirm yet if the victim was raped. Emborniza said that based on the autopsy results, the victim died of drowning.
Police have arrested a suspect in his late 20s in the area yesterday.
Murder charges in relation to violation of Republic Act 7610 or the “Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act” will be filed against the suspect.
Meanwhile, the decomposing body of a man who was reported missing for five days was found in a vacant grassy area in Purok Lirio 2, Barangay Taculing here also last Wednesday.
Police Capt. Elmer Bonilla, head of Police Station 6, identified the fatality as Arjay Espinase, 25, of Barangay Banago, this city.
Bonilla said residents smelled foul odor in the area, prompting them to check and asked for police assistance when they found the body.
He said the victim was reported missing by his family last Nov. 22 when he failed to go home that night after he attended a birth anniversary party with his friends in Barangay Tangub, this city.
The victim, however, failed to go home that night as his friends claimed that he was supposed to meet someone in the barangay where he was found dead.
However, his friends told the police that the victim did not elaborate the identity of the person he was supposed to meet. (Glazyl Masculino)
