Missing police officer found dead inside a septic tank in Malolos

• The body of Police Staff Sergeant Renato Casauay Jr. was found inside a septic tank at a residential compound in Malolos City on Saturday morning
• A witness reported that the primary suspect Julian Salamat allegedly confessed to killing the officer because he felt embarrassed by a joke made by the victim
• Joint police teams recovered the officer's remains along with his helmet and motorcycle storage box nearly a week after he was reported missing
• Authorities have already arrested two suspects in connection with the murder while Salamat and one other individual remain at large

The search for a missing member of the Philippine National Police has ended in a grim discovery. On early Saturday morning, January 31, authorities found the body of Police Staff Sergeant Renato Casauay Jr. dumped inside a septic tank in a subdivision in Malolos City, Bulacan.

The 46-year-old officer, who was a resident of Baliuag City, had been missing since January 24. According to a report from Malolos City police chief Col. Rommel Geneblazo, the remains were recovered at around 1:30 a.m. from the backyard of a house in Felicissima Village, Barangay Mojon.

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The investigation took a turning point when a witness came forward to the authorities. The witness claimed that Julian Salamat, one of the officer's acquaintances, visited him on Friday and confessed to the killing. According to the account, the motive behind the senseless act was a simple joke. Salamat reportedly took offense at a joke Casauay made, which supposedly embarrassed him in front of their group of friends.

“The suspect disposed of the victim’s body by throwing it into a septic tank at the said location, which resulted in the victim’s disappearance,” the police report stated.

Casauay was assigned to the Police Regional Office 3 Drug Enforcement and Special Operations Unit. He was last seen leaving his home on a motorcycle, heading to Malolos to meet friends. When he failed to return the following day, his wife immediately reported him missing.

“The incident came to light after the victim failed to return home on January 25, 2026, and was subsequently reported missing by his wife,” the report added.

During the recovery operation, joint teams from the Malolos and Baliuag police also found the victim’s helmet and Givi box. While two suspects are already in police custody, the primary suspect, Julian Salamat, and one other accomplice have managed to evade arrest and are now the subject of a manhunt.

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This tragic discovery follows another high-profile case involving a member of the police force that recently reached a critical stage in the investigation.

This article discusses the forensic findings in the death of 8-year-old John Ysmael Mollenido, the son of another slain officer. The autopsy confirmed that the child died of suffocation before his body was dumped in a Tarlac farm. The heartbreaking details of the case have gripped the public as the police continue to piece together the events that led to the double tragedy.

In a major breakthrough for the Mollenido case, the NCRPO recently announced the arrest of three individuals suspected of being involved in the murders. The investigation into the Mollenido family also involved a car sale gone wrong, which led to a massive manhunt across several provinces. These recent arrests offer a glimmer of hope for justice as authorities deal with a rise in violent incidents targeting the police community.

Source: KAMI.com.gh