• Launch of a manhunt for a male suspect after a woman’s body found in a river

• Release of a facial composite to help locate him

The Philippine police launched a manhunt for a man following the discovery of a woman’s body stuffed inside a plastic container that had been dumped in a river in Camarines Norte.

They released a facial composite of the suspect to assist the investigation.

The unidentified victim was found on January 2 in Barangay Pinagwarasan, Basud.

Authorities believe the suspect transported the body on a provincial bus from Laguna to Bicol, pretending to carry groceries and tools.

Basud police investigators stated that the suspect was captured on CCTV at the Turbina Terminal in Calamba City, Laguna, around 8:34 p.m. on New Year’s Day, arriving by tricycle and receiving assistance from two others to unload the large container.

Police Captain Mark Armea, head of the Basud Municipal Police Station, said they "spoke with multiple witnesses who had direct contact with the suspect, including those who saw or accompanied him."

According to reports, upon arriving in Daet, the suspect hired a tricycle to move the container in Basud. The driver later informed authorities after seeing news of the incident on social media, stating he was unaware of the container’s contents.

Investigators confirmed that the plastic container found in the Basud River is the same one seen being loaded onto the bus in Laguna.

In an effort to expedite his arrest, the Basud Police Station released a facial composite of the suspect, described as a man between 30 and 40 years old, of medium build, and standing 162–168 cm tall.

The victim is a woman between 35 and 40 years old, with tattoos on her left chest and right shoulder.

Although her name remains unknown, police confirmed that both the victim and the suspect are from the Calabarzon region.

The Basud Police Station and the Regional Investigation and Detection Unit are working closely with Calabarzon police to track the suspect and accelerate the investigation.