By: Jim Lloyd Dongiapon
Authorities discovered the dead body of a child early Saturday morning, March 4, in the Misamis Oriental town of Claveria.
The victim was revealed to be 10-year-old Sofhea Irenver Bual, who was reported missing by her father, Kenneth Bual, after failing to return home from Minantang Elementary School last Wednesday, March 1.
She was last reportedly seen in the vicinity walking past a pineapple farm. Her family searched from house to house in an attempt to locate her, but were unsuccessful.
After she was formally reported missing, the local government unit of Claveria, the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO), the Claveria Municipal Police Station (MPS), and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) conducted a search and rescue operation around the town.
Three days later, on the early morning of Saturday, March 4, authorities found a sack that was soaked in a river and covered in large rocks at Sitio Banban in Barangay Poblacion. Inside was the dead body of a young girl, which was later confirmed to be that of Sofhea.
In a Facebook post, her father vented his resentment at the person suspected of killing her.
“Sa naghimo nga demonyo (niini), Ginoo ra’y bahala sa imo. Grabe imong gihimo sa bata nga wala unta’y sala. Halos di na nako mailhan akong anak…Ako nang isalig tanan sa Ginoo. Unta mahayan nimo tanan nimo gibuhat sa akong anak (To the demon who did this, I leave your fate to God. What you did to an innocent child was appalling. I cannot even recognize my own daughter anymore…I lift everything to God. I hope you will regret everything you did to my child),” Kenneth wrote.
He also thanked the Claveria local government and rescuers for their assistance in the search for his daughter.
Meanwhile, Claveria MPS announced that 28-year-old Ariel Bayud Limas, the suspect in Sophea’s death, had voluntarily surrendered to them before Saturday noon.
According to the police, Limas told them he had sexually assaulted the victim twice before killing her.
Following the gruesome incident, the suspect will be charged with murder.