Carl Angelo Arnaiz's companion found dead in Nueva Ecija

Reynaldo de Guzman, the 14-year-old companion of Carl Angelo Arnaiz, has been found dead in Gapan, Nueva Ecija, according to a report by GMA News' Saleema Refran.

De Guzman, also known as Kulot, bore 30 stab wounds on his body. His head was wrapped in packaging tape.

The teenager's body was found floating in Kinamatayang Kabayo creek in Purok Gitna, Barangay San Roque in Gapan, Nueva Ecija, on Wednesday. 

"Bakit po ang anak ko ginanyan niyo? Minasama niyo... walang kalaban-laban. Tinadtad niyo ng saksak. Sana man po kung sino man pumatay sa kanya, bigyan niyo ng hustisya," De Guzman's mother, Lina Gabriel, said in the report.

A staff member from the funeral parlor said the victim's body could have been burned by the suspects.

"Parang nalalapnos na po 'yung katawan niya sa gasolina kasi nung buksan ko po, nung nasa morgue na, nangangamoy gasolina na po," said Dodong Rosalinos.

The funeral parlor where de Guzman's body was brought uploaded the photo which eventually reached his mother, Lina Gabriel.

"'Yung mukhang 'to habang tumatagal parang 'yun na nga eh. Pumayat lang siya eh. Palatandaan ko lang talaga may ano siya dito sa tagiliran, may opera," Lina said.

De Guzman's parents immediately went to the area where their son's body was retrieved.

"'Yan nga, siya nga... Oo 'yan nga 'yon. Parang butas 'yan eh," said Eduardo Gabriel, the victim's father.

Last person with Arnaiz

De Guzman was the last person seen with Arnaiz on the night the 19-year-old was killed in Caloocan after he allegedly shot it out with policemen who had accosted him for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The police had just received a report from a taxi driver that his last passenger held him up and Arnaiz just happened to be walking along the said route when police arrived to investigate.

According to his friends, Arnaiz had treated them to midnight snacks at a noodle house in the wee hours of August 18. After staying at the eatery for an hour, they hung out for several minutes at the  Arnaiz's sari-sari store in Cainta, Rizal.

One of Arnaiz's friends said De Guzman arrived at the store just as they were about to call it a day and stayed with Arnaiz who didn't want to go home just yet. It was the last time any of them would see Arnaiz and De Guzman alive. 

Arnaiz's body was found in a morgue in Caloocan 10 days later and De Guzman's body turned up in a funeral home in Gapan, Nueve Ecija nine days after Arnaiz's body was found.  

De Guzman's father believes his son was killed by Caloocan City policemen to prevent him from testifying on the killing of Arnaiz.

"Sa tingin ko nakahuli diyan pulis... pulis Caloocan, hindi ho kayo. Pulis Caloocan ho ang nakadali diyan. Malamang kaya tinira 'yan [kasi] baka maging testigo," Eduardo Gabriel.

"Pinaghiwalay nila kasi 'yan 'yung huling kasama ng Carl Angelo na 'yan eh," he added. —KBK/KVD/JST, GMA News