Authorities carry the body of a 10-year-old girl who was found partly buried in a cave in Brgy. Tapul, Talisay City on January 9, 2022. | Photo from Talisay City Mayor Samsam Gullas
CEBU CITY, Philippines—Police in Talisay City has identified a ‘person of interest’ who could shed light on the recent killing of a 10-year-old girl.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Randy Caballes, Talisay City Police Station chief, said statements from witnesses led them to identify a ‘person-of-interest,’ whom they believe may have had a hand in the death of the girl.
“We have a POI and we are now determining if he had accomplices,” said Caballes in Cebuano during a press interview on Tuesday, January 11, 2022.
In the meantime, Caballes said they are glad that Talisay City Mayor Gerald Anthony ‘Samsam’ Gullas has dangled cash incentives amounting to P100,000 to anyone who could provide leads in arresting the perpetrators.
“The cash reward is a big help. We have been receiving information after the mayor’s announcement and we are thoroughly verifying those information,” he added.
The girl went missing since January 6. Her body was found partly buried in a cave in barangay Tapul last January 9, or three days after she was reported missing by her relatives.
She was with her mother last January 6 doing laundry in a river which is situated a few meters where authorities discovered her body a few days later.
She reportedly went swimming in the river together with her older brother hours before she was missing. According to initial reports, she told her brother she would head home ahead of them but unfortunately, did not make it.
Investigators are still waiting for the results of the autopsy to determine the victim’s cause of death, and whether or not she had been raped.
/bmjo
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Missing girl, 10, found dead in cave in Talisay