A woman’s body, bound and blindfolded, was found floating off Barangay 99 Diit in Tacloban City on Monday morning, August 4, in what police describe as a gruesome crime.
A fisherman discovered the body around 9 a.m. with the victim’s hands and feet tied. Two sacks, believed to have been used as weights, were attached to her waist to prevent the body from surfacing.
Police identified the victim as Aquene Aradaza, a caregiver and mother of three, after her family recognized her tattoos and body shape.
According to police, Aradaza had been missing since July 31, when armed men allegedly forced her into a black Toyota Wigo while she was at a store in Barangay Valencia, Ormoc City.
PLTCOL Allan Camasin, spokesperson for Tacloban City Police, said the case appears linked to the alleged abduction. Ormoc City Police spokesperson PLT Nova Tan said the kidnapping was only reported by relatives on Monday, the same day the body was found.
Tan noted that an earlier report might have allowed authorities to intercept the vehicle at city or municipal borders.
Police are now reviewing CCTV footage and pursuing all possible leads to determine the motive and identify those responsible.
Authorities have not disclosed whether suspects have been identified, but said the investigation will cover both the kidnapping and homicide angles.
