Seaborne cops nab fisherfolk who beheaded 9-year-old boy

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HAGONOY, Bulacan — Seaborne policemen arrested a 50- year old fisherman suspected of beheading a 9- year old boy in the fishing village of Barangay Mercado here Saturday.

Bulacan police director Senior Supt. Ferdinand Divina identified the victim as Arnel Escobar alias “Kokey”, 9, a native and resident of Barangay Mercado here while the suspect was identified as Ernesto Santos, 50, married and a resident of Barangay San Nicolas.

Divina said that the headless body of the victim was identified by his father after it was fished out while floating along the river.

Initial theories of village officials who discovered the headless body suspects that the young victim’s head was cut-off after it was hit by a propeller of a motorized boat but police thought otherwise after a witness came and told police officers that he personally witnessed how the boy’s body was dumped into the river early morning Saturday.

Divina said the witness disclosed that on May 30 at around 3 a.m. while he was sleeping in his boat docked at the side of the river, he was awakened by a noise coming from the other boat, docked parallel with his boat.

The witness confirmed that prior to the incident, he saw the victim and the suspect named Santos resting.

He added that although he was awakened, he pretended to be asleep after he witnessed how the suspect dumped the headless body of the victim in the river and subsequently washed/cleaned his boat.

After identifying the suspect at about 3 p.m. of the same date, town police chief Supt Angel Bondoc, who was directly leading the investigation, immediately formed an arresting team.

And at about 5:45 p.m.of the same date, Divina said Bondoc led a team of seaborne policemen together with the River Rine Unit of the Philippine Army and conducted pursuit operation along the mouth of Manila bay and arrested the suspect who then fishing.

Divina said the police team recovered the 12 inches knife, with suspicious blood stain that was believed to be used in the killing the boy in the suspect’s boat.

The cadaver of the beheaded boy was brought to C and C Funeral Services in Barangay San Miguel here while the suspect is presently detained at Hagonoy Municipal Police Station.

Divina said that a joint team of Hagonoy policemen and the River Rine Unit of the Philippine Army are still conducting search operation for the missing head of the boy.

Appropriate criminal complaint is being prepared for filing at the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor, Divina added.