Man attends wake, disappears; search on in Kabayan

KABAYAN, Benguet – Cops are probing the mysterious disappearance of a man who went to attend a wake here and has not gone home since then.

The missing person was identified as Leonardo B. Carino, 32, married, farmer here of Sitio Kalaykay, Tawangan.

Melanie, 26, wife of the missing person said her husband was last seen morning of Sept. 8.

A police report said they received Monday a called from Lieda Abellera, employee of Sangguniang Bayan office around 11 a.m. saying she received a text message from a barangay resident that somebody was missing.

Interview with residents revealed Carino with a certain Patricio Alicnas attended a wake at Sitio Nanhabitan, Barangay Tawangan and left the place around 10:50 a.m. of Sept. 8 for home.

When the two were at Tawangan Proper, Carino got off the motorcycle and bought Gatorade in a store complaining he had stomach ache after which he went down to the house of a certain Miguel Molitas, around 150 meters from the road, to relieve himself.

A certain Paula Yap saw Carino entering the comfort room wearing black leather jacket, white t-shirt, gray jogging pants and black rain boots.

That evening, relatives, friends and neighbors tried to locate Carino but to date, despite continuous search, he could not be located.

The wife told police her husband had no medical problem, was not taking alcoholic beverages and had no family problem.