JONES, ISABELA — Police are investigating the death of a 51‑year‑old man believed to have been killed in a suspected explosive blast along a riverside area in Barangay Payac on Wednesday, Aug. 19.
Authorities identified the victim as Norberto, a resident of the same barangay.
A barangay official reported the incident to the Jones Police Station at around 10:50 a.m., saying the man was found lifeless in Purok 4, Riverside, about four kilometers from the town proper.
Police said a witness, Virgilio, heard an explosion before discovering the victim lying on the ground.
Investigators suspect the blast may have involved an improvised explosive locally known as “bungbong.”
The Jones police coordinated with barangay officials and local rescuers, while the Explosive Ordnance Disposal/K9 Group and Scene of the Crime Operatives from Santiago City were called in to process the site and interview witnesses.
Authorities said the exact cause of death and the source of the suspected explosive remain under investigation.