On July 11, 2026, at approximately 11:50 a.m., residents of Dawis Road in Barangay Cansojong, Talisay City, were shocked to discover a severed head believed to be that of a woman. The Talisay City Police Station received a call from a concerned citizen regarding the discovery. Investigators under Police Lieutenant Colonel Homobuno Sayon quickly responded to verify the report.
E-bike Driver Discovers Severed Head Amid Trash
According to initial information, an e-bike driver identified only by the alias "RJ" found the head while scavenging for recyclable waste. He saw the severed head mixed in with garbage and immediately notified the police. The police then coordinated with the Scene of the Crime Operation (SOCO) to subject the head to forensic examination.
Family Reports Missing Caregiver
At around 8:30 p.m. on the same day, a man named Kye Basilio Tupas from Zamboanga City went personally to the Talisay police station with his sister-in-law to report the disappearance of his mother. The mother was identified as Pilar Basilio, also known as Katha Saavedra, 48 years old, who worked as a stay-in caregiver for Carmencita Rojas Abarquez in Vergara Village, Barangay San Isidro, Talisay City.
Kye stated that his mother last sent a message on July 4. They found it suspicious because she usually chatted with him every day. When they went to her employer's house in Vergara Village on July 8 to ask, they were told that the mother had been missing for two days and had left without permission. The employer also said they had already reported it to the police.
Family Connects Discovery to Missing Relative
Concerned after being informed by a neighbor about a human head found in Cansojong, the family immediately went to the police station. To confirm whether the head belonged to Pilar, the family submitted to a buccal swab at the PNP Forensic Unit 7 for DNA examination.
Headless Body Found Nearby
Hours after the head was discovered, authorities also found a headless body in an advanced state of decomposition, just a few meters from where the severed head was found. As of now, police are still investigating whether the body is connected to the severed head.
