The body that was found dumped along the Transcentral Highway in Sitio Guya, Barangay Prenza in Balamban town on Sunday, June 30, has been positively identified by his kin. | Contributed photo via Paul Lauro
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Police have identified the lifeless man found near the Transcentral Highway in Sitio Guya, Barangay Prenza, Balamban town, southern Cebu, on Sunday, June 30, 2024.
The deceased was identified as 35-year-old Franklyn Edaño, a fisherman and former drug surrenderer.
According to Police Lt. Colonel Julius Garcia, Chief of Balamban Police Station, the man was identified by his relatives who assumed that the body was Edaño after hearing that his friend, Alexander Langi, had been found dead.
Langi was also found tied up and lifeless in a grassy area in Campo 5, Barangay Manipis, Talisay City, on Sunday.
According to Edaño’s relatives, the two men were friends and went missing at the same time on Friday, June 28.
The family contacted the police on Tuesday morning, July 2, to verify the identity of the body found in Balamban.
Edaño was positively identified due to his clothing and a silver ring reportedly worn by the victim before he went missing.
At around 10 a.m. on Sunday, Edaño was found with his wrists and feet bound by rope and his head wrapped with packaging tape.
Meanwhile, Langi was found dead at around 2 p.m. He was positively identified by his mother on Monday, July 1.
Garcia said that findings from a Municipal Health Officer in Balamban revealed that there were no wounds caused by stabbing or gunshot, or any indicator of torture on Edaño’s body.
“Ang assumption sa atong Municipal Officer, ang cause of death niya is caused by asphyxia. Katong wala na ka ginhawa tungod kay nakabalot man gud sa packing tape ang tibuok nawong,” he stated.
Authorities are still waiting for the results of the autopsy on Langi’s cadaver.
Police Major Windell Abellana, public information officer of the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO), further relayed that the provincial director, Police Colonel Percival R. Zorrilla, has ordered an investigation into the murders of the victims.
Moreover, he has directed the police chiefs of Talisay and Balamban to conduct inter-law enforcement coordination with stations in neighboring areas, as they found that the two victims were residents of Cebu City.
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