The mysterious case of the missing briefs in Goa, Camarines Sur

Rico Laurenciano was described by residents in Goa, Camarines Sur as a tall good-looking man with a strong nose.

He lives in an isolated area in the province and he has a problem: His briefs are always disappearing one by one! 

In a Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho (KMJS) episode on Sunday, Rico said that in just two short weeks, he's already lost 15 pieces of briefs.

He thought hanging his briefs inside his house would solve the problem, but even then, his briefs continued to disappear.

"Isang gabi galing ako sa baryo nawala 'yung isa na sinampay ko sa loob (One night I came from the barrio and one of my briefs disappeared from where I hung it inside)," Rico said.

The doors and windows of Rico's house were locked, and so what started out as a simple prank was turning out into a dangerous crime.

It became more threatening for Rico since he lived alone near a river and the nearest neighbors he had can be found miles away.

Rico made a living out of planting eggplants, and buying new underwear is an exercise in patience, endurance, and athleticism: For 30 minutes, he needs to cross the river and walk on rocky terrain before reaching the highway where he can take a tricycle to bring him to the barrio.

Since his underwear started disappearing, Rico has had to go to the barrio three times, spending up to P500 already.

He had to extremely secure his briefs to the point that he had to tie his basket of clothes shut with a rope. He then tied his doors and windows locked as well.

Alas, when he got home, the cords and ropes were all destroyed. No money or other belongings went missing. Just his briefs — all of them.

The rope, said Rico, was as if bitten by someone with small teeth making him believe that it was an evil spirit who's been stealing from him.

According to him,  his briefs would go missing every time he'd come from the river. 

Rico has become fearful. He said, "Nakakatakot kasi baka isang gabi kung ano na gawin sa 'kin. Ako lang mag-isa sa bahay."

(It's scary because maybe one night something will happen to me already. I'm all alone at home.)

Because of this Rico's brother George decided to stay with him in the meantime. The Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho team also decided to set up CCTV cameras to really get to the bottom of the incident.

One night, while Rico and his brother left the house to go fishing, a white spec was spotted moving in the room. The camera even detected the movement and changed its angle.

There was a cat in the room, explained the CCTV technician Jayson Bino, but the movement of the camera would only happen if a person manually changed the angle of the CCTV.

While Rico was also being interviewed by the KMJS team, an unknown number started calling him. Once the team called back, no one answered.

Meanwhile, a woman who farms with Rico started to act wildly. She claimed that she was possessed by the spirit who kept stealing Rico's underwear.

The girl screamed while in the throes of possession, "Hindi kayo naniniwala sakin...babalikan ko kayo (You don't believe me. I will come back for you)!"

The woman later on said that the spirit wanted the CCTV attached to the house be removed.

The woman said, "Sinaniban daw po ako tapos 'yung bumubulong sakin hindi ko daw kailangan magpakita sa camera...Siya nga daw po pero nung tinatanong ko ano pangalan hindi naman po niya sinasabi."

(I was told that I was possessed and the being who was whispering to me said that I didn't need to show myself to the camera...It was the one but when I asked its name, it didn't answer)

"Nangingi-alam daw po ako kay rico dapat hindi ako nangingi-alam. Sinagot ko naman na tinutulungan ko yung taong sinasaktan mo dahil ang dami na niyang nawala pati brief. Bakit mo kinukuha?" she added.

(I was meddling, it said, I shouldn't be medding. I answered that I'm only helping out the person you're hurting because he lost so much already, even his briefs. Why did you take it?)"

The CCTV technician Bino said that strangely while the woman was being possessed, the CCTV was also being affected.

Psychologist Jhon Cadiz Carandang RPSY also said, "Kadalasan mga taong nangunguha ng undergarments normally merong sexual preoccupation involved tinatawag nating fetishistic disorder."

(Most of the time, the people who steal undergarments normally have a sexual preoccupation involved that we call fetishistic disorder.)"

"Ito yung mga bagay na inanimate objects kung saan doon sila nagkakaroon ng sexual arousal (This is where people have sexual arousal from inanimate objects)," he added.

Philippine National Police investigator of Goa, Camarines Sur PSMS Kim Apelledo said that even if the briefs were expensive or not, it is still a crime of theft.

Noel Correa from Punong Barangay of Brgy. Pinaglabanan said, "May mga barangay officials na hindi kami naniniwala sa maligno. Talagang tao ang may gawa noon (Some barangay officials, we don't believe in evil spirits. It's really a person who's been doing this)."

However, the identity of the thief still remains unknown and Rico continues to live in fear.

Now, Rico brings his briefs with him wherever he goes. — LA, GMA News