Family confirms severed head belongs to Masbate ambush victim

LEGAZPI CITY – The family of an ambush victim in Masbate City confirmed that the head found in an icebox in Camarines Sur Sunday night belonged to Flor Rapsing, a family driver who was beheaded in Masbate City Saturday noon.

Superintendent Cerilo Trilles Jr., Masbate City police chief, said Rapsing’s brother, whom he did not name, identified the head in the icebox left along the Andaya highway in Barangay (village) Kabutagan, Lupi, Camarines Sur.

Trilles, in a phone interview Tuesday morning, said they showed Rapsing’s brother a photo of a male person’s head that was emailed on Monday by the Lupi Municipal Police Office to the Masbate City Police Office.

The head had the same semi-bald haircut and earring on the left ear as described by Rapsing’s family.

Trilles said Rapsing’s family decided to claim the severed head from a funeral parlor in Sipocot, Camarines Sur, where it was brought by the police for temporary safekeeping.

The Rapsing family left Masbate early Tuesday morning to Pilar port in Sorsogon enroute to Camarines Sur.

Rapsing, 39, was beheaded by still unknown men in an ambush at the National Road of Purok 2, Barangay Usab, Masbate City, Saturday noon.

His employers, Supleto brothers Samson, 50, and Jeremiah, 47, were also killed in the ambush, which is believed connected to a multiple murder and robbery case in Aroroy on Easter Sunday. Gold mill owner Jesus Amaro, 64, his son Gilbert, 36, and their family driver Ricky Almodiel were killed in the Aroroy incident.

Trilles said the police were exploring leads which might help identify the suspects in the ambush.

He refused to divulge other details on the investigation of the Masbate City police and Aroroy police.