The headless body of a former member of the Citizen Armed Forces Geographical Unit was recovered by policemen Wednesday, a few meters away from his house in a mountainous area of Sitio Catagbacan, Barangay Siapo, San Jose, Oriental Negros.

The body was identified by relatives to be that of Benjamin Ybias, 50, married, of Sitio Catagbacan, Barangay Siapo, San Jose.

Operatives of the Amlan and San Jose Philippine National Police said they found the victim's body, without its head, lower left arm and right hand fingers. The cadaver was brought to a funeral parlor in Sibulan town for post mortem examination, by the Sibulan Municipal Health Officer Merlinda Papas.

The examination could not determine of the wounds of the victim were caused by gunshot or by a bladed weapon.

Papas said this was because the victim's body is already in a state of extreme decomposition. She suggested that an expert examine the body to determine the cause of death.

Initial police investigation revealed that some residents in the area heard at least four gunshots, four days before the victim's body was found. The police said the victim was allegedly an active participant in an anti-insurgency campaign, and this lead to suspicions that New People's Army guerillas had killed him.*MA/RG

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