Police trace origin of body dumped at Camarines Norte bridge

Investigators from the Basud Municipal Police Station and the Provincial Investigation and Detective Management Unit (PIDMU) have traced the origin of the body found dumped at the Pinagwarasan Bridge in Purok 1, Barangay Pinagwarasan, Basud, Camarines Norte, following information provided by a tricycle driver and a bus conductor who unknowingly transported the container where the victim was allegedly placed.

According to police, the tricycle driver surfaced after seeing reports on social media that matched a large black box he had transported in the early hours of the morning. In text messages sent to investigators, the driver said that at around 4:00 a.m., he was flagged down by a man wearing a jacket who hired his tricycle for ₱200 to travel to Barangay Mocong.

The driver said he assisted the passenger in carrying a large black box from the footboard of a bus. The man allegedly told him the box contained groceries and fragile items. The box was loaded into the tricycle, and the passenger rode at the back until they reached a bridge in Mocong. There, the man claimed someone would be picking him up before abruptly disembarking and leaving the driver behind.

Realizing the seriousness of the situation after seeing news reports later that morning, the driver immediately went to the police station to cooperate with authorities. While he initially hesitated to give a formal statement out of fear for his safety and that of his family, he maintained that he had no knowledge of the box’s true contents and wanted to help clarify the incident.

Police also coordinated with the management of DLTB, where a conductor provided a separate account. The conductor said their bus arrived at the Turbina Terminal at around 9:30 p.m., where he temporarily disembarked to process documents with the dispatcher. During that time, an unidentified man approached him and asked if there was still space available on the bus.

After confirming that there was space, the man pointed to his luggage a black megabox which was loaded onto the bus. The conductor later assisted in transferring the megabox and noted that it was unusually heavy, initially suspecting it contained a sack of rice.

The conductor told the man that there was a required fee for loading heavy baggage. The passenger, however, asked for the fee to be waived, explaining that the box only contained mechanical tools and that he was bringing it to Daet. Out of compassion, the conductor agreed and allowed the baggage to be transported without additional payment.

Police said the investigation is being personally supervised by the Camarines Norte Police Provincial Office director, who has appealed to the public for cooperation, particularly from anyone who may have information that could help identify both the victim and the suspect.

The Basud Municipal Police Station has likewise urged anyone with relevant information to immediately coordinate with the nearest police station.