Cops rule out foul play in death of missing teener

Investigators have ruled out foul play in the death of a 15-year-old student, whose body was found Monday in an abandoned factory after she had been missing for five days, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said.

Pasig City police chief Col. Hendrix B. Mangaldan said a thorough forensic and backtrack investigation found no indication of third-party involvement.

“The evidence suggests this was a tragic case of self-harm, not a criminal act committed by someone else,” Mangaldan said.

Police traced the teener’s route and confirmed she had purchased a length of white nylon rope from a hardware store in nearby Marikina City — the same type later recovered at the scene. Investigators noted the absence of signs of struggle during the discovery.

The Grade 9 student was last seen on 18 March entering a mall in Marikina before walking alone toward a dark, vacant lot within the Light Rail Transit Line 2 compound in Barangay Santolan. Surveillance footage showed she was not being followed.

Her remains were located 23 March in a secluded area of the compound during an ocular inspection.

Police Major Loreto Tigno, Pasig’s assistant chief of police for operations, said the findings were corroborated by statements from the girl’s friends and classmates.

Tigno cited that letters sent by the student contained “indications of a farewell or goodbye message.”

An autopsy revealed no injuries consistent with an assault or external struggle.

The student’s father attended the briefing and urged the public to refrain from criticizing the authorities. He stated that the police responded promptly to the case from the time she was reported missing on 19 March.