Philippine police are investigating the killing of an eight-year-old boy whose body was found in a calamansi farm in Tarlac province, days after his mother, a police officer, was shot dead in Bulacan, authorities said.

The father of the child, John Ysmael Mollenido, confirmed that the body found on Thursday, January 29, 2026, in a secluded part of a farm in Victoria town was that of his son. Police said the boy’s body was found face down and wrapped in plastic.

“It so happened na may naggagapas ng damo roon, nakita niya. Kahit malapit na kami doon nung puntahan namin, hindi namin maamoy,” Police Major Marty Calara, chief of the Victoria Police Station, said.

John Ysmael is the son of Police Senior Master Sergeant Diane Marie Mollenido, who was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head along a bypass road in Pulilan, Bulacan on January 24, police said.

The boy’s father said he identified his son based on his belongings and physical features.

“Base po sa mga huling suot niya, gamit niya, sapatos, build ng katawan tapos ’yung mukha, ma-identify pa naman. Hindi ko kaya siyang tingnan nang ganun katagal. Hindi niya deserve ’yung ganung ginawa sa kaniya,” John Mollenido said.

Police said the child was not returned to his father over the weekend, which was unusual based on prior arrangements with the boy’s mother.

Authorities are awaiting the autopsy report to determine the cause of the child’s death. Investigators said they are coordinating with other agencies and reviewing closed-circuit television footage to trace the vehicle allegedly used to dump the body.

“Sa ngayon, wala talagang concrete details kung sino may gawa, but continuously nag-co-coordinate tayo with concerned agencies sa pag-review ng CCTV. Ayun lang susi para makilala natin sino may-ari ng sasakyan at anong uri ng sasakyan ginamit sa pag-dump sa cadaver sa lugar,” Calara said.

Police said the mother and child were last seen together on January 16, when they reportedly met an agent to sell a vehicle. The agent has been named a person of interest by a special investigating task group.

Authorities also searched the agent’s house in Quezon City, where the policewoman was last seen alive, and said blood traces were found that will be matched with the victims’ DNA. Police said the victim’s husband is also considered a person of interest.

The boy’s father said he is cooperating with investigators.

“Nakikipag-cooperate naman ako. Hindi naman ako nagtatago. Nandito naman ako. Kapag may tanong, sinasagot ko naman. Sana mabigyan hustisya ang mag-ina ko,” he said.