MANILA, Philippines – Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II signed on Wednesday, September 6, a department order authorizing the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to look into the killing of 14-year-old Reynaldo de Guzman, who was found dead with 30 stab wounds in Gapan, Nueva Ecija the day before.

De Guzman was with 19-year-old Carl Arnaiz the night they went missing on August 17 from their homes in Cainta, Rizal. Earlier on Wednesday, President Rodrigo Duterte said the NBI would take over the investigation into Arnaiz’s death.

The body of De Guzman, also known as “Kulot,” was found by a resident in a creek in Barangay San Roque in Gapan City around 11:30 am on Tuesday, September 5.

De Guzman was a Grade 5 student of Maybunga Elementary School in Pasig City. He worked after school as a delivery boy of water containers, and from time to time, got jobs at construction sites, carrying sacks of cement. 

Aguirre signs Dept Order for NBI to probe the case of Carl Arnaiz’ friend Reynaldo de Guzman found dead with 14 stab wounds @rapplerdotcom pic.twitter.com/Huq0KZdbdO

— Lian Buan (@lianbuan) September 6, 2017

De Guzman and Arnaiz had gone out for a snack on the night they disappeared. Arnaiz was eventually found dead at a morgue in Caloocan City. Police said he engaged them in a shoot-out along C3 Road in Navotas, after allegedly robbing a cab. Arnaiz tested positive for gunpowder.

An autopsy conducted by the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO), however, shows the 19-year-old was handcuffed, beaten up, and dragged before he was shot 5 times.

The cab driver, meanwhile, has been summoned to attend the Senate inquiry into the case after he executed two contrasting affidavits. In his first affidavit on August 18, Tomas Bagcal said he forgot the supposed robber’s appearance. In his second affidavit on August 29, Bagcal described the robber in detail.

Arnaiz was killed just two days after 17-year-old Kian delos Santos was shot dead, also by Caloocan City police. Both deaths sparked outrage and triggered renewed calls for the Duterte administration to end killings linked to the war on drugs. – Rappler.com