Minglanilla senior found dead in septic tank

CEBU CITY, Philippines — A 77-year-old woman whose body was found inside an unfinished septic tank in Minglanilla, Cebu, likely died after accidentally falling into the pit, police said on Thursday, August 6, following an investigation into her disappearance.

Speaking to the media on Thursday, Police Lieutenant Colonel Maria Theresa T. Macatangay, chief of the Minglanilla Municipal Police Station, said investigators have initially ruled out foul play, citing the victim’s medical condition, witness accounts, and the circumstances surrounding her disappearance.

Elderly woman disappeared days before discovery

According to Macatangay, the victim had Alzheimer’s disease, a condition that her family said had already affected her memory and behavior.

Police said the woman disappeared sometime between late Sunday evening and early Monday morning, August 3, after the family had gone to sleep.

Macatangay said the elderly woman slept on the ground floor of their home, while the relative looking after her—her grandchild—slept upstairs.

When the family woke up the following morning, they discovered that the woman was missing.

The family immediately searched for her, reported her disappearance to the Minglanilla Municipal Police Station, sought assistance from media organizations, and posted appeals on social media in hopes of locating her.

Neighbors unknowingly heard fall

As investigators retraced the victim’s possible movements, police interviewed residents living near the unfinished septic tank where her body was eventually found.

Macatangay said a neighbor recalled hearing a loud crashing sound at around 4 a.m. on Monday.

However, after looking outside, the resident saw no one.

“Pagkatagak didto, wala sila’y nadungog nga tingog sa tawo. Wala ra sad sila ni-mind kay gabii na man, kadlawn pa man. Wa ra sad sila ni-mind og investigate kung unsa tong tingoga,” Macatangay said.

(When she fell, they did not hear any human voice. They didn’t pay much attention because it was still nighttime, already dawn. They also didn’t bother to investigate what caused the sound.)

Police said the septic tank had only been covered with galvanized iron (GI) sheets, leading investigators to believe the noise may have been caused when the victim stepped onto the covering and fell through.

Another resident later told investigators that dogs had been barking near the same area the following day.

The resident reportedly looked outside and even called out but found no one and received no response.

Body found in rainwater-filled septic tank

The victim’s body was discovered Thursday morning after a resident noticed that the GI sheet covering the unfinished septic tank had shifted from its usual position.

When the resident checked the area, she found the woman floating in rainwater inside the pit before seeking help from neighbors and reporting the incident to police.

Responding officers immediately secured the area and requested the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) to process the scene.

Why police ruled it an accident

Macatangay said investigators believe the victim wandered onto the private property because of her Alzheimer’s disease before accidentally falling into the unfinished septic tank.

She added that continuous heavy rains over the past several days had filled the pit with water, making it difficult for the elderly woman to recover after the fall.

“Kusog kaayo ang ulan the past few days. So most likely kaning unfinished nga septic tank, not necessarily nga napuno, nasudlan gyud siya og tubig gyud nga enough nga kung pareho ani nga sitwasyon ani nga tiguwang, dili sad gyud siya dayon-dayon makabarog, and medyo lawm-lawm pud siya,” Macatangay said.

(It has been raining heavily over the past few days. So, most likely, this unfinished septic tank wasn’t necessarily full, but it had accumulated enough water that, in the case of an elderly person like this, she would not have been able to stand up immediately. It was also fairly deep.)

Police also believe the victim’s advanced age, combined with the fall and the depth of the pit, prevented her from climbing out or calling for help.

“The old lady has to deal with the gravity nga nahulog siya, siguro napi-ang pa to siya, and wala siya dayon kabarog. And even if di to ingon ato ka lawm, dili na pud siguro makasugakod ang iyahang lawas pud. Mao sad siguro ang reason nga wa na siya kashagit for help,” she said.

(The old lady had to deal with the impact of the fall. She may have also suffered an injury, and she couldn’t get up immediately. Even if the pit wasn’t that deep, her body probably could no longer withstand the situation. That’s likely the reason she wasn’t able to shout for help.)

Macatangay also said investigators believe the body surfaced only after decomposition had begun.

“Most likely kay niburot na man siya, ang iyang lawas. But let’s await the findings of SOCO,” she said.

(Most likely, her body had already bloated. But let’s wait for SOCO’s findings.)

She added that authorities are still waiting for the results to determine whether the body floated because of decomposition or whether the victim had inhaled or swallowed a significant amount of water.

No foul play seen

Macatangay said the unfinished septic tank is located within a private property, but investigators have found no basis at this stage to hold the property owner liable.

“Actually, it’s a private property. Ang nahitabo ron, ni-trespass ang tiguwang sa maong private property. And di sad ta maka-make the owner of the private property accountable because wala man sad sa iyahang gikasakopan, wa man sad siya nanginvite og any visitors sa iyahang private property. So, kato siya, ni-trespass gyud to ang kaning tiguwang ba, nga unfortunately, nahulog og namatay,” she said.

(Translation: “Actually, it’s a private property. What happened is that the elderly woman trespassed onto the property. We also cannot hold the property owner accountable because the incident did not happen within the owner’s responsibility, and the owner did not invite any visitors onto the property. Unfortunately, the elderly woman trespassed, fell into the septic tank, and died.”)

She likewise stressed that investigators have so far found no indication that another person was involved in the elderly woman’s death.

Although police have initially ruled out foul play, she said investigators will continue reviewing available closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage in the area and await the findings of SOCO before formally concluding the investigation.

“Atong nakita based on the circumstances, aksidente gyud ni siya,” she said.

(Based on the circumstances we’ve seen, this was indeed an accident.)

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