Two still-unidentified men believed to be victims of summary killing or ‘salvaging’ were discovered along the Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR) tollway in Tanauan City in Batangas province on separate dates.
At 7:30 a.m. Monday, a body of a male about 35 to 38 years old, 5’4-5’5 in height, curly hair and medium built was found at the tollway at Barangay Trapiche.
He had several tattoos on his body and was found lying face down with arms at the back bound by packaging tape. The body bore gunshot wounds on the back of his head and on the shoulder. The still-unclaimed body was at the Ace Funeral Parlor in Mabini Avenue in Barangay Sambat.
The other unidentified male when found in a grassy portion of the tollway in Barangay Sambat at past 4 p.m. Friday, also had his hands at the back tied with packaging tape while his feet tied by a wire.
The second body’s face was totally wrapped with packaging tape while the head was covered with plastic.
Police said they estimate it was already twelve hours after the victim was killed when the body was discovered. The victim bore an injury on his knees and the skin on his left leg was scraped. Police said they believe the victim was hit by a hard object on the back of his head. The victim reportedly had been buried because it could no longer be embalmed.
Superintendent Willy Atun, Tanauan City police chief, said the victims could have been killed somewhere and dumped in the area. He said the place where the victims were seen was dark
Atun appealed to the management of STAR tollway to do something about the situation.