Belongings of missing UP Law prof discovered in Occidental Mindoro

MANILA, Philippines — Personal possession of lawyer Ryan Oliva, a University of the Philippines (UP) College of Law professor who has been missing since November 21, was discovered at a seashore in Occidental Mindoro on early Friday morning, police said.

A report from Occidental Mindoro police director Police Colonel Hordan Pacatiw showed that it was a construction worker who found Oliva’s backpack, which contained about 20 items of the professor’s belongings.

However, police said the professor was not found in the area.

Police say a construction worker found Atty. Ryan Oliva’s bag in a beach at Occidental Mindoro. Photo from Mimaropa police

Pacatiw said the construction worker was walking along the beach at Natalon in Barangay Balikyas in Looc town at 6 a.m. when he found the gray bag, which contained Oliva’s ATM card, credit card, cellphones, and multiple identification cards.

“Sa Looc, nandoon po nakatago, naka-inventory po iyong gamit (Looc police took custody of the items for inventory and safekeeping.),” Pacatiw said in a phone interview with INQUIRER.net.

He said he is coordinating with the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, which is tasked to investigate Oliva’s disappearance, to obtain the evidence.

“Nag-coordinate sila sa national, tatawag ako sa CIDG, coordinate ako kung sino kukuha ng ebidensya baka i-trace nila kasi may cellphone pa at personal ano niya doon,” said Pacatiw.

According to Oliva’s family, it is almost a week since he has gone missing.

Oliva also works for the Department of Tourism’s Legislative Liaison Unit aside from being a professor at UP.

KGA