Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Article (news)

Karen De Guzman

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1771573007610Screen Shot 2026-02-20 at 3.35.59 PM_cropped_processed_by_imagy (1).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">According to NCRPO spokesperson Ma. Hazel Asilo, the incident stemmed from a confrontation while the suspect and the victim were drinking.</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div>MANILA — A heated argument over an unpaid debt is being eyed as the motive behind the killing of a man whose dismembered body was discovered concealed inside a blue drum in Manila, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said.<div></div><p>According to NCRPO spokesperson Ma. Hazel Asilo, the incident stemmed from a confrontation while the suspect and the victim were drinking.</p><p>“Ayon doon sa kwento ng kaibigan ng ating suspect, while nag-iinuman sila is nagkasingilan ng utang. Nag-away sila, nasaksak nitong ating suspect ‘yung ating victim,” Asilo said.</p><p>“Siguro nagkainitan na, nag-away na sa paniningil dahil walang maibigay itong ating victim [na pera],” she added.</p><p>Police are still investigating why the suspect allegedly dismembered the victim’s body and disposed of it inside a drum, which was transported to Binondo, Manila.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/19/pasay-police-confirm-arrest-of-taiwanese-mastermind-in-chop-chop-case-1719">Pasay police confirm arrest of Taiwanese &#x27;mastermind&#x27; in &#x27;chop-chop&#x27; case</a></div><p>Authorities are also checking additional evidence to determine whether only two people were inside the unit when the incident happened.</p><p>They are also verifying whether the condominium unit where the crime occurred was rented or owned by the persons involved.</p><div> </div><div><strong>ALLEGED FORGED PASSPORT </strong></div><p>Meanwhile, police are verifying reports that the principal suspect used a forged passport.</p><p>The information came from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines (TECO), which initiated verification procedures following the suspect’s arrest.</p><p>In a statement, TECO said: “After carefully examining the passport presented by the suspect, this Office confirms that the document is a forged Taiwanese passport.”</p><p>TECO added that during an interview, the suspect failed to provide a valid Taiwan national identification number and admitted he is a Chinese national.</p><p>“He further confessed that he purchased the fraudulent Taiwanese passport through the Telegram application,” TECO said.</p><p>The police have requested TECO to formalize its findings in writing so they will have a basis for their statement.</p><p>Asilo clarified that initial information about the suspect’s nationality came from his Filipina girlfriend, who presented the passport to authorities.</p><p>“‘Yung girlfriend din ang nag-present noong passport nitong ating suspect. Hindi pa kasi natin matanong nang masinsinan itong ating suspect since wala pa siyang counsel,” she explained.</p><p>The suspect had reportedly introduced himself to his girlfriend as Taiwanese.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/19/police-recover-suspected-weapons-used-in-manila-chop-chop-case-1628">Police recover suspected weapons used in Manila ‘chop-chop’ case</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>VICTIM’S IDENTITY UNDER VERIFICATION </strong></div><p>Police said an identification card recovered from the victim indicates he is Chinese, but authorities are still confirming his true identity.</p><p>“Based dun sa ating nakuha na ID sa kanya, Chinese, pero inaalam pa natin ‘yung pagkakakilanlan. Nakakuha tayo ng ID. Kino-confirm natin kung siya talaga ‘yung nandun sa ID,” Asilo said.</p><p>The main suspect and the Filipino interpreter seen in CCTV footage during the incident have been charged with murder before the prosecutor’s office.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YRHAynuqCPU?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>A heated argument over an unpaid debt is being eyed as the motive behind the killing of a man whose dismembered body was discovered concealed inside a blue drum in Manila, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said.</p>

A heated argument over an unpaid debt is being eyed as the motive behind the killing of a man whose dismembered body was discovered concealed inside a blue drum in Manila, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said.

Argument over unpaid debt led to grisly drum slay in Manila—NCRPO

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Argument over unpaid debt led to grisly drum slay in Manila—NCRPO

Karen De Guzman,

ABS-CBN News

Published Feb 20, 2026 03:41 PM PHT

Read More:

PNP

Crime

Chop-chop

Taiwanese

Chinese

Murder

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