KALILANGAN, Bukidnon – A 19-year-old man from Talakag, Bukidnon was found dead in a grassy area near the boundary of Kalilangan and Talakag towns on Monday morning, June 22, prompting an ongoing police investigation into what authorities suspect to be a homicide case.
The victim was identified as Raymark Jay Abot Guillano, 19, a resident of Purok 5, Barangay Dominorog, Talakag, Bukidnon.
According to the Kalilangan Municipal Police Station (MPS), Guillano’s lifeless body was discovered at around 7:30 a.m. in a secluded grassy area in Sitio Forchacu IV, Barangay Malinao, Kalilangan. Police found that the victim had sustained a gunshot wound to the back.
Authorities said the area where the body was found is located near the boundary of Barangay Dominorog in Talakag, where Guillano resided.
The discovery came after reports circulated earlier regarding an unidentified male body found in the vicinity of Barangay Dominorog, Talakag. Residents initially feared the victim may have been a victim of a so-called “salvage” or extrajudicial killing due to the circumstances surrounding the case. The victim’s identity was later confirmed through police investigation.
Police are now looking into reports that Guillano may have been shot by an unidentified suspect at around 8:00 p.m. on June 21, hours before his body was discovered the following morning.
Kalilangan MPS Chief PCapt. Teresita Manejero confirmed the victim’s identity and said investigators are actively gathering evidence and interviewing possible witnesses to determine the circumstances that led to the killing.
Authorities have yet to establish the motive behind the crime. Investigators are examining all possible angles, including personal disputes and other potential motives, while pursuing leads that could identify the suspect or suspects involved.
The remote location where the victim was found has also raised questions about whether he was killed elsewhere and later abandoned at the scene.
Police from both Kalilangan and Talakag continue to coordinate their investigation as efforts intensify to track down those responsible for the killing.
Authorities urged anyone with information that may help solve the case to immediately coordinate with the nearest police station.
The investigation remains ongoing.