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By LITO RULONA, NITZ ARANCON and JOEY NACALABAN
Correspondents .

POLICE officers stumbled on the severely burnt remains of a Criminology student while they were jogging at Sitio Camacawan in Barangay Indahag yesterday morning.

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Capt. Rustico Galagala, Cogon police chief, identified the victim as 21-year-old Marjun Mejos of Barangay Bonbon, and a senior Criminology student at the Cagayan de Oro College-Phinma.

Galagala said Mejos’s head and back had gaping wounds, indicating that his killers stabbed or repeatedly thrust a sharp object into the victim.

After he died, police said, the killers then burned Mejos’s body.

Near the body was Mejos’s motorcycle that was set afire.

Mejos was found by police officers, including Maj. Ivan Viñas, while they were jogging in a secluded area at around 6 am. The victim wore a black sweatshirt and denim pants.

Investigators found a brown pouch in one of Mejos’s pockets containing P150 and a school assessment slip that had his name on it.

The upper parts of his body were burned.

Maj. Fullgen Ragmac, Scene of the Crime Operatives team leader, theorized that the victim was beaten up, stabbed to death, and then burned.

Ragmac said the killers poured fuel, possibly kerosene, on the body and then set it on fire.

“Naay deep cut sa iyang left eyebrow — meaning, he was struck with a hard object. Sunog kayo ang iyang sweatshirt and then iyang rubber shoes. Wala masunog ang iyang likod,” Ragmac said. “Assessment: gipatay kini siya before gi-sunog,” he said.

Galagala said investigators already have suspects in mind “pero dili lang sa nako ibutyag ang mga suspect kay under investigation pa man kini nga kaso.”

He said investigators have taken note that the victim had been charged with violence against women and had posted an P80-thousand bailbond.

The victim’s friends came and confirmed that the body belonged to Mejos.

Carl Kim Galido, Mejos’s friend and schoolmate, said he was unaware if the victim had enemies.

“Hilumon man to siya bisan kauban among ubang barkada. Inum ray bisyo adto,” Galido said. “Sa akong nakita gipareglahan gyud kini siya. Na-trip-an lang kini siya.”

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