MANILA, Philippines — Police on Monday said the body found in Gapan City, Nueva Ecija, is not that of 14-year-old Reynaldo de Guzman, based on DNA tests.
De Guzman went missing on the night of August 17 after he was seen with fellow Cainta, Rizal resident, 19-year-old former University of the Philippine student Carl Angelo Arnaiz, going out to buy snack nearby.
The cadaver of the boy found floating in a creek called Kinamatayang Kabayo in Gapan’s Brgy. San Roque had 28 stab wounds. His head was wrapped in plastic, adhesive tape, and black cloth and his feet were tied and covered with a sack.
His body, which had burns on its side, also smelled of gas, indicating that his killer attempted to set the boy on fire.
Eddie de Guzman earlier said he was able to positively identify that the cadaver belonged to his son Reynaldo through a mark on the boy’s leg and a wart on his knee.
An autopsy conducted by forensic experts from the Public Attorney’s Office showed that the boy suffered three fatal stab wounds to his heart and lungs and that he was continuously stabbed even though he was already dead.
Last Sunday, Sept. 10, Tomas Bagcal showed up after hiding for some days but didn’t say anything about De Guzman.
According to the 54-year-old taxi driver, who is now under the custody of Rise Up for Life and for Rights, a group of church people and human rights advocates, only one person — Arnaiz — robbed him.
READ RELATED STORY: Taxi driver in Arnaiz slay case: It was Carl, but I turned him over – alive – to cops; death seemed ‘scripted’
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