Man found dead in Poyopoy a robbery victim - police

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines - The man found dead with nine stab wounds in Poyopoy last Thursday was not "salvaged," but may have been a robbery victim. Superintendent Jaime Rodrigo Leal, chief medico-legal officer of the Philippine National Police (PNP)-Crime Laboratory regional office, issued the statement as he said the victim was last seen alive at the La Trinidad Vegetable Trading Post (LTVTP) on June 1. "According to two witnesses, the victim, who they identified as Darwin Leongkay, was last seen delivering a truckload of cabbages to the LTVTP on June 1," said Leal. "After the three of them delivered a truckload of cabbages on board an Isuzu Elf truck at 4 p.m. of June 1, the victim was able to send P5,000 to his mother," he continued. Leal said they are now looking into the robbery angle behind the Leongkay's death. He explained that they initially deduced Leongkay might have been dumped in Poyopoy two to four weeks earlier because the victim was already in an advanced state of decomposition then. "However, his (Leongkay) being in an advanced state of decomposition a few days after he was dumped may also be attributed to the conditions in the place where he was dumped. It was a place open to the elements (rain and sun) and where blowflies and maggots already existed," explained Leal, referring to the former garbage dumping area where the victim's body was found. Leongkay was found with nine stab wounds in the chest in Tuba, Benguet on June 5. - Sun.Star Baguio