MANILA - A forensic analyst believes Reynaldo De Guzman, 14, was stabbed up to 25 times after he had already died before being thrown into a river in Nueva Ecija.

Dr. Erwin Erfe of the Public Attorney's Office said his team conducted criminal event reconstruction on De Guzman's death.

Speaking to ANC's Headstart, he said the teenager had markings of torture and was stabbed twice or thrice before dying.

"Nung nire-reconstruct namin yung event, mukhang initially binugbog siya kasi may mga signs na binugbog siya—maga ang mata, ang ilong, pati yung bibig niya maga. Mukhang binugbog siya, and then sinaksak ng dalawang beses or even tatlong beses, and then he died," Erfe told ANC's Headstart.

"Pero after that, there’s another event na pinagsasaksak siya 25 to 26 times more, pero patay na siya."

• READ: Reynaldo sinaksak sa puso, baga: autopsy

De Guzman and 19-year-old Carl Angelo Arnaiz had been missing since they left their homes in Cainta, Rizal on August 17.

Arnaiz was reportedly killed in a shootout with police in Caloocan City hours later, after allegedly attempting to rob a taxi driver.

De Guzman's body meanwhile was found floating in a creek in Gapan, Nueva Ecija last week, his head wrapped in packing tape and body bearing dozens of stab wounds. His remains were later transferred to a morgue, which his parents located the following day.

Erfe said they estimate that the teenager's body may have been thrown into the river around 9:00 p.m. of Monday to 3:00 a.m. of Tuesday.

"Nung ina-analyze namin yung body ni Reynaldo, mukhang pinatay siya from 12 to 24 hours lang. Bagong bago lang. Yung kulubot niya sa kamay nag-uumpisa pa lang," he said.

"Nung ine-estimate namin yung pagkakalubog niya sa ilog, 8 to 12 hours pa lang siya nakalubog doon. Saka consistent yung manifestation, talagang naka-taob siya. 8 to 12 hours lang," he added.

Forensic investigators could not ascertain if De Guzman had already been dead when his head was wrapped in adhesive tape, but Erfe maintained that the boy was still alive when he was stabbed twice or thrice, only to be stabbed 25 to 26 times after he died.