After workers noticed stench: Woman’s body dug up behind condo

CEBU, Philippines — It was the stench that led to the discovery a woman’s body buried behind a bunkhouse of a condominium in Barangay Kamputhaw, Cebu City.

The body was identified as that of Josephine Ortega, 38, of Barangay T. Padilla, Cebu City.

Police have arrested her live-in partner, Crisanto Martinez, 35, a maintenance worker in the condominium, and believe he is responsible for the crime.

Chief Inspector Dindo Juanito Alaras, Mabolo Police Station chief, said it was the stench that led a security guard in the condominium to the area behind the bunkhouse where he saw a shallow grave. He and start digging to see what it was. When they uncovered the hand of the victim’s body they stopped and called the police.

Police said based on their initial investigation, someone reported seeing Martinez kill the victim early morning last March 16 after he found out she was seeing someone else.

“Selos g’yud ni kay dili daw niya madawat, mitug-an man ang suspek sa atoa,” Alaras said.

Alaras said that because the body was already in an advanced state of decomposition, further examination by the medico legal officer is required to determine how she was killed.

However, in a report over the radio, Martinez denied killing the victim, claiming she killed herself with a knife while they were drinking together.

It was Martinez who positively identified the body of Ortega after it had been dug up.

“Wala nako patya naghikog ra siya di lagi siya gusto, para kuno way makuan namong duha, way makaangkon niya namo ba,” Martinez said.

However, Martinez wasn’t able to explain why he didn’t tell the victim’s family what happened and why he decided to bury the body instead.

A murder case is set to be filed next week against Martinez, who is currently detained at the Mabolo Police Station. —BRP (FREEMAN)