By CESAR JOLITO III
A disturbing series of body discoveries in Negros Occidental has put authorities on high alert this week, as police investigate the separate recoveries of two decomposing remains and a fetus in capital Bacolod City and Murcia town.
The string of grisly finds began on Tuesday, July 1, when the decomposed remains of an unidentified woman were discovered in a vacant lot along Sofia Gonzaga Avenue in Bacolod’s Barangay Estefania.
A scrap collector stumbled upon the body around 1:30 p.m., roughly 10 to 15 meters from the road.
Authorities have yet to identify the victim, as no current missing persons match her clothing or features.
Police Station 4 appealed to the public for assistance.
“We urge families with missing female relatives to coordinate directly with the station to help us confirm the identity,” Station 4 commander Police Major Elmer Bonilla said.
He said tissue samples will be sent to Camp Crame in Metro Manila due to limited regional forensic capabilities.
The following day, Wednesday, July 2, a separate discovery shocked residents nearby — a fetus wrapped in plastic and placed inside a shoebox was found floating in a river at Purok Kaburihan along the Bacolod-Negros Occidental Economic Highway, still within Barangay Estefania.
The fetus, estimated to be six to seven months old, was discovered by a couple, Raquel and Jose Retome, who were heading to bathe in the river.
“We thought it was a dead animal in the box, but when we opened it, we were horrified to see it was a fetus,” Jose said.
The fetus was taken to a nearby parish for blessing and later buried at Burgos Public Cemetery.
Hours later, at Barangay Salvacion in Negros Occidental’s Murcia town, another decomposing body — this time believed to be male — was found buried in a sugarcane field in Hacienda Bernabe.
A farmworker plowing the land reported a foul odor and a suspiciously disturbed patch of soil.
Murcia police chief, Major Sherwin Fernandez, confirmed the remains were buried about 20 meters from the access road and were already in an advanced state of decomposition.
The victim, wearing only underwear, had no immediate signs of injury or foul play, although his hands were positioned behind his back.
Investigators believe the body may have been in the ground for up to two weeks.
Rain and overgrowth are suspected of washing away vital evidence.
“If anyone knows of a missing male relative or recognizes the victim’s description, we ask that they come forward,” Fernandez said.
Connect the dots
While police believe the three incidents are isolated for now, the back-to-back discoveries have rattled the public and prompted intensified patrols and community coordination efforts.
All three investigations remain ongoing as forensic teams work to determine causes of death and identities.
Both Bacolod and Murcia police have urged families with missing relatives to reach out to authorities and help piece together what appears to be a disturbing trend in the region.
“We are exhausting every possible lead,” Bonilla said.
“The dead deserve dignity, and their families deserve answers,” he added./CJ, WDJ