Missing belongings add mystery to mountaineer's death

The missing belongings of Victor Joel Ayson, the mountaineer whose body was found at the bottom of a cliff at Mount Maculot in Batangas province days after he was reported missing, have provided mystery to the tragedy that befell him in his solitary mountain trek last month.

Although the police have already ruled out foul play, the search for Ayson's belongings, which reportedly included a camera and his mobile phone, continues, said Senior Inspector Joel Illagan, officer-in-charge of Cuenca town police.

"Hindi pa tumitigil ang investigation namin dahil may mga nawawalang camera at ibang gadgets," Illagan told GMA News Online by phone.

In a separate interview, Patrick Angeles, a close friend of Ayson's family who is also a mountaineer, said they are wondering where Ayson's belongings went.

"We're just wondering where his belongings have gone since we didn't find anything near the body," he said.

"Other pair of the shoe, camera bag, wallet, cellphone. I think the small things were all inside the camera bag since the pockets were empty," he added, when asked to enumerate the missing items.

A fellow mountaineer and a search volunteer had earlier told GMA News Online that “it may be possible” that Ayson's belongings “scattered” throughout the area when the victim accidentally fell from the cliff.

"Three hundred feet din 'yun,” the volunteer, who requested anonymity, said. “So it may be possible that his belongings scattered."

Illagan said they will search the surrounding areas where Ayson's decomposing body was found two weeks after he was reported missing.

"Babalikan namin 'yung cliff, 'yung pinaghulugan niya this week siguro, pero kailangan namin ng tulong ng mountaineers," the police official said. "Kailangan kasing i-rappel iyon."

On Monday, the Philippine National Police (PNP) Crime Lab confirmed that the body found in Mount Maculot last Saturday was that of Ayson, who it said may have fallen from the cliff.

"Ang cause of death ay blood traumatic injuries of the body, consistent with fall from height," said Chief Inspector Joseph Palmero of the PNP Crime Laboratory-Medico Legal Division.

In ruling foul play in the incident, Palmero said: "We believe it is an accidental fall. Wala pong indikasyon na sinaktan siya."

Angeles said dental examination conducted on the body also confirmed its identity. "The dental record matches with the body," he said.

Ayson's body was cremated Monday afternoon and the ashes now lie at Mt. Carmel Church in Project 6, Quezon City. Interment would be on Saturday, April 20, at Mt. Carmel columbarium. — KBK, GMA News