MALAYBALAY CITY, Bukidnon — Alarm has once again gripped residents of Malaybalay City following another reported case of cattle theft and illegal slaughtering after a cow was found butchered and stripped of its meat and hide inside a banana plantation in Barangay Kalasungay on Thursday morning, May 14, 2026.
The gruesome discovery was made at around 6:50 a.m. beneath a banana plantation in Purok 5, Sitio Karang-karang, where the remains of a cow owned by a 56-year-old farmer identified only as “None” were found almost reduced to bones and skin.
According to reports gathered, the victim had tethered his two cows approximately three kilometers away from his residence for grazing. However, when he checked on the animals, he was shocked to discover that both had gone missing, prompting him to seek assistance from officials of Barangay Kalasungay.
Meanwhile, a security guard assigned at a banana plantation owned by DOLE reportedly informed authorities after plantation workers discovered the slaughtered cow inside the vast plantation area.
Investigators said the suspects appeared to have slaughtered the animal during the early hours of the morning, possibly around 1:00 a.m. Authorities noted that only the meat, hide, and other valuable parts of the cow were taken, leaving behind the skeletal remains.
In a positive development, the second cow owned by the victim was later found alive roughly 500 meters away from where the butchered animal was discovered. Police believe the surviving cow may also have been intended for slaughter but was possibly abandoned when the suspects were interrupted or forced to flee.
The owner of the cattle said the animals had already been reported missing on the afternoon of Wednesday, May 13, before the horrifying discovery was made the following morning.
The Philippine National Police in Malaybalay City has launched an ongoing investigation to identify and arrest the individuals behind the crime.
Residents and livestock owners in the area have expressed concern over the apparent resurgence of cattle theft and illegal slaughtering activities in the city, fearing that more farmers may fall victim if perpetrators remain at large.
Authorities are now urging the public to remain vigilant and immediately report suspicious activities, especially in remote farming and plantation areas where livestock are commonly grazed.