BUTUAN CITY, Philippines — Senator Raffy Tulfo has increased to ₱1 million the cash reward for information that could lead to the identification, arrest and prosecution of the person responsible for the death of two-year-old Ian Meñoza of Barangay Camayahan, Butuan City.
Tulfo announced the increased reward on October 2, two months after he initially offered ₱500,000 to anyone who could provide information leading authorities to the suspect in the case.
Ian was found dead in a secluded area of Barangay Camayahan after he disappeared while playing inside his family’s home on July 23, 2026.
According to the child’s mother, Wilma Meñoza, she had left Ian playing inside their house while she swept outside. When she returned, the child was gone.
At the time, Wilma was reportedly the only person with Ian at home because his father, Junrey Meñoza, was working in the city as a helper.
The location where Ian was eventually found was approximately 800 meters from their home, raising questions about how the toddler reached the area. Police previously said it was unlikely that Ian could have walked that distance on his own, considering his age and limited ability to walk.
Autopsy points to head trauma
The case took a more disturbing turn after the child’s complete autopsy report showed that Ian had sustained a blunt traumatic head injury, including injuries involving the cheek and the back portion of his head.
The findings prompted Tulfo to press investigators to consider the possibility that the child had been struck with a hard object.
Authorities have also ruled out earlier speculation that Ian may have been attacked by an animal, with police saying the autopsy showed no bite marks attributable to an animal.
Some netizens had also speculated that the child may have been “engkanto,” but authorities have urged the public to focus on evidence that can be established through the investigation and forensic examination.
Parents pass lie detector test
The Meñoza couple previously faced speculation because Ian was last known to be with his mother before he disappeared.
To address questions surrounding the parents’ possible involvement, Tulfo had recommended that Wilma and Junrey undergo a lie detector examination.
According to Tulfo’s October 2 update, the couple passed the test and were assessed as “truthful” regarding their denial of involvement in their son’s death.
The development effectively removed one major area of suspicion surrounding the parents, although police continue to investigate the case.
Tulfo said the couple had initially sought assistance through his Raffy Tulfo in Action (RTIA) program on July 31, seeking help in identifying the person responsible for Ian’s death.
Police have yet to identify a person of interest
Despite the passage of two months, investigators from Station 4 of the Butuan City Police Office have yet to identify a person of interest or establish a clear motive.
Tulfo again sought an update from PMAJ Aian Gilbert Lodonia, Station Commander of Station 4, during his October 2 interview with the family.
Police said they had already interviewed people living near the Meñoza residence as well as workers who regularly passed through the area. However, investigators reportedly found no immediate motive or evidence linking those individuals to the crime.
Tulfo nevertheless directed police to widen and deepen the investigation.
One previously disclosed lead involved an acquaintance of the couple with whom they reportedly had a dispute about a year before Ian’s death. The person had already been mentioned to police and was interviewed, but investigators reportedly found no apparent motive connecting the individual to the killing.
Tulfo instructed police to revisit that lead and determine the whereabouts of the individual and other possible persons of interest at the time Ian disappeared.
Gold miners, coconut workers identified as possible sources of information
A new lead emerged when Wilma told Tulfo that coconut harvesters and gold miners regularly passed through the area where the family lived and where Ian was eventually found.
Tulfo ordered Station 4 investigators to interview these individuals again and determine whether any of them saw something unusual around the time of the incident.
Lodonia agreed to pursue the new information and said investigators would conduct the interviews as soon as possible.
Tulfo emphasized that even seemingly routine movements of people in the area could prove important in reconstructing what happened to Ian.
Reward raised to ₱1 million
With the investigation still without a breakthrough, Tulfo announced that the Raffy Tulfo in Action Foundation would increase the reward from ₱500,000 to ₱1 million.
The reward is intended for information that will help authorities identify the suspect and ultimately lead to the person’s filing of charges and imprisonment, subject to due process.
The senator also previously covered the expenses related to Ian’s burial.
For now, the circumstances surrounding the toddler’s death remain unresolved.
Authorities are being urged to pursue every possible lead, particularly individuals who may have been in or passed through the area when Ian disappeared.
The case remains under investigation, and police have yet to publicly name a suspect or establish the exact circumstances that led to the child’s death.
The family, meanwhile, continues to seek answers for a child whose disappearance began inside his own home and ended with his body being discovered hundreds of meters away.
The ₱1-million reward now places renewed pressure on investigators and the public to help provide the information needed to bring the case closer to justice.