Bodies in van identified

MANILA, Philippines - The three men whose bodies were found in an abandoned van in Barangay Napindan, Taguig City last Saturday may have been killed by hijackers, the Southern Police District said yesterday.

The victims, who had been hogtied, were identified as truck driver Fremar Dumo, 39; truck helper Junifer Garcia, 37; and Crisanto Tangalin, 35, another truck helper.

The white Mitsubishi L300 van, left at a vacant lot, had fake license plates (AEV-484), police said.

Dumo’s employer, Lourdes Abenoja, said she lost contact with him and the helpers on Friday morning. He drove her flatbed truck, a red Isuzu Giga, from Sta. Cruz, Laguna on Feb. 4 to pick up steel bars from Cathay Pacific Steel Corp. in Barangay Napindan and deliver the cargo to San Pablo Everest Construction Supply in San Pablo, Laguna.

They never made the delivery. The truck and its cargo remain missing.