The body of an unidentified woman was found in Talisayan town, Misamis Oriental province in Southern Philippines. Witnesses claimed they saw 21-year-old Lloyd Bagtong with a woman in the hours before the body was discovered. Bagtong was arrested while trying to flee, after the police had started hunting for the woman's murderer. Later Bagtong confessed that in a drunken state, he had killed the woman and used her brain as a topping for rice that he had cooked.

Early in the morning on December 5, the body of the headless woman was found in a fresh pool of blood. The woman's torso was bare, while her denim pants were still on. The murderer had tied both her hands before decapitating her.

Talisayan police started a search for the murderer. Witness reports led the police to believe that Bagtong had something to do with the murdered woman. Bagtong's house was merely 4km from where the woman's body was found. Even though the police did not know the identity of the woman, witnesses reported that Bagtong was seen walking with a woman wearing denim pants.

cannibal skull cap
man arrested for decapitating and eating woman's brain The Trustees of the Natural History Museum, London

The Strait Times reported that Bagtong was nabbed when he tried to flee his home. The police found the murder weapon with Bagtong.

Upon being questioned by the police, Bagtong confessed to his crime. He gave the police the grisly details of his actions.

Bagtong said that he was drunk and highly irritated when the woman started speaking to him in English. He said he did not understand what she was saying and that aggravated him. He then led the woman to a secluded place where he proceeded to murder her.

He then told the police that he was feeling hungry so he decided to eat her brain. Bagtong used a piece of cloth to wrap the woman's head and carry it home with him. Upon reaching his home, he cooked some rice and used her brain as a topping on the rice. He also told the police that he threw the rest of the head in a hole near his house.

Police were able to recover the woman's head and the bloodied cloth in which Bagtong carried it.

The identity of the woman remains unknown. The police have urged people to let them know if any family member has gone missing so that they can identify the body.

Philippines