A human skull, possibly of a 12-year-old boy who drowned in September 2022, was found at a river in Barangay Matic-Matic, Sta. Barbara, Pangasinan.

The skull was found by a backhoe operator.

The parents of the 12-year-old boy believe the skull belongs to their son. Andres and Rosalinda Dagmil hope to lay their son to rest, finally. 

The Dagmil family returned to the river in the hope of finding more skeletal remains but were unsuccessful.

“Noong nalunod [siya], hindi nakita ang katawan niya… baka sakali ito ang bungo ng anak ko… kung makuha pa sana ‘yung ibang buto, i-ayos namin para matahimik ang kalagayan niya,” Andres said.

“Anak kong nasaan ka man, aayusin namin ang bungo mo para maayos na ang kaluluwa [mo], ilibing [ka namin] ng maayos [at] pababasbasan sa pari,” Rosalinda added.

The Sta. Barbara police said the skull needs to be examined to confirm if it belongs to the drowned child.

“I-report dito sa police, then ang Police ang mag-request sa SOCO (Scene of the Crime Operatives) para sila ang mag-recover doon sa area. Kung makakuha ng sample, titignan kung ito ‘yung sa nawawalang bata. Kung mayroong mag-match,” PLTCOL. Jun Wacnag, Chief of the Sta. Barbara Police Station, said.