Authorities have identified the person whose skull was found in Talisay City, Cebu.

The Talisay City Police said the skull belonged to a woman who had been missing for eight days when the skull was found by residents of Barangay Cansojong at a grassy area on July 11, 2026.

The woman, identified as Pilar Basilio, 48, went missing on July 4.

She was from Zamboanga City and worked as a caregiver in Talisay City.

Authorities identified her following a DNA test.

The Talisay Police said that even before the DNA test result came out, they have started gathering evidence against the person suspected of killing Basilio - the 47-year-old nephew of the victim’s patient.

When the DNA test result became available, they applied for a search warrant in court and served the same at the suspect’s residence on August 8.

There, they recovered the suspected weapon used in the killing, the motorcycle allegedly used to throw the victim’s head away, packets of suspected shabu, and a .38 caliber revolver.

They also found bones believed to be from the victim’s body. These will be subjected to another DNA test.

The Talisay Police found out that the suspect had ran away from a murder case in Zamboanga City.

They are eyeing at personal grudge as possible motive in the crime.

The victim’s son called on the suspect to disclose where he hid the other parts of his mother’s body so they can bring her bones together and give her a proper burial.

“Grabe, hindi ko inexpect na ganun ka-brutal yung ginawa nila sa nanay ko. Parang hindi tao ang gumawa sa nanay ko ng ganun… ‘Yung gusto lang talaga namin na makulong siya, na hindi na siya makalabas, tapos mauwi namin ‘yung whole ulo at katawan ni mama sa Zamboanga,” said the victim’s son, Kyde Tupas.

The local government of Talisay commended the city police on the development but urged that they dig deeper in their investigation into the case.

One of the things the city wants to find out is whether or not the suspect carried out the crime with an accomplice.