Missing boy, 11 found dead at Chico River in Cagayan

By Liezle Basa Inigo

TUAO, Cagayan – An 11-year old boy missing for six days was found in the river bank of Chico River here in Barangay Fugu on June 12.
    Staff Sergeant Wilson M. Pascua, officer-on-case, said the victim Jake Bacaya, a grade 4 student, was believed to have drowned in the river in Barangay Taga, Pinukpok, Kalinga on June 6.
    Police theorized after the boy drowned in Taga, the body floated and was carried off by the water all the way to Fugu.
     “May mga kasama din ito na mga bata na naliligo doon pero sa kasamaang palad ay nalunod at ilang araw na rin itong pinaghahanap, natagpuan lamang nitong Hunyo 12 sa kabilang probinsiya ng Cagayan,” Pascua said.
    Sergeant Pascua said the body of the victim traveled at least 30 kilometers in the river in Pinukpok town, Kalinga to Fugu.
    On June 12, around 7:30 a.m. barangay captain Edgar Sedano of  Fugu called the Tuao Police Station to inform them that a male cadaver was found at the river bank of Chico River.
    It was a certain Mario Romero who reported to the barangay captain the cadaver he saw in the river bank.
Romero, who was pasturing his cow near the grassy portion of the river, said the cadaver was already in a state of decomposition.
    Mike Bacaya, 47, of Taga, learned about the recovery of a cadaver in Cagayan and positively identified the cadaver as his son Jake.
    The cadaver was turned over to his family.