Dead fetus found near Basak Pardo drainage area

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Police are looking for the mother, who threw away an estimated eight-month-old fetus near a drainage area in Sitio Katangkongan, Barangay Pardo, Cebu City.

Police Staff Sergeant Benjamin Maglajos of the Pardo Police Station said although they had yet to find the mother and find out what really happened, if it would be proven that she had the baby aborted then they could file an infanticide case against her.

However, Maglajos said that it would depend on the circumstances when they would find the woman who threw the fetus.

He said that the fetus was found at 3 p.m. today, August 29, 2020 by residents who checked on what was inside a plastic bag left near the drainage.

The residents there told police that they did not notice anybody passing by the area during the morning, but around midnight, the dogs in the area were really noisy, which meant that the fetus was thrown the night before at about that time.

Maglajos said that they were coordinating with the Barangay Health Center so they could trace pregnant women in the area who might be able to help with the investigation.

He said they believed that the person responsible for throwing the fetus was from the area because she knew where to throw the fetus so that it could not be easily seen by passing residents.

“Dili man siguro nga nangita lang ug kalabayan kay kani nga area tago man. Kahibalo gyud siya asa dapita,” said Maglajos.

(The mother most likely was not looking for a place to throw the fetus because this area was quite hidden from the passing residents. She knew where to throw it.)

He said that they had also asked the residents’ help in looking for person responsible for throwing the fetus there./dbs