Pastor and Village Councilor Found Dead in Remote Woods of Gattaran, Cagayan

GATTARAN, Philippines —

The bodies of a 30-year-old pastor and a 52-year-old village councilor were found in a remote, overgrown stretch of Barangay Capissayan Norte in Gattaran, Cagayan province, in the northern Philippines, on Saturday afternoon, Nov. 7, according to police reports carried by local news outlets.

The men were identified as Johnny Agarpao, 52, a barangay kagawad (village councilor) of San Miguel in the town of Baggao, and Jeferson De Leon, 30, of Barangay Lasilat, also in Baggao. The Philippine Daily Inquirer identified De Leon as a church pastor. The other outlets that reported the case did not mention his ministry or name his church.

A farmer tending his carabao spotted one of the bodies at about 4:30 p.m. in a forested part of Zone 2 of Capissayan Norte and alerted authorities, Guru Press Cordillera reported, citing the Gattaran Municipal Police Station. Bombo Radyo Tuguegarao and Abante reported that the second body was found about 35 meters from the first.

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Police processed the scene and took the bodies to Dr. Tomas Nolasco Hospital for post-mortem examination, Bombo Radyo reported. Investigators are running a follow-up investigation and backtracking operation to learn the motive and who was behind the killings. The Inquirer described the remains as bullet-riddled.

The men's families have called for justice, according to Bombo Radyo and Guru Press. No police official was quoted by name in the reports.

What we don't know yet: Police have not released a cause of death, a motive or any suspects. Only the Inquirer reported that De Leon was a pastor and that the men had been shot; Watchman News could not read the Inquirer's full report and has not independently confirmed those details. Outlets also spell his first name both “Jeferson” and “Jefferson.” It is not known when the men were last seen or why they were in the area.