KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato — A routine morning in Barangay Zone IV turned grim following the shocking discovery of a deceased construction laborer tucked away inside a box culvert at an active infrastructure site. The incident has triggered a full-scale police investigation as authorities work to uncover the dark circumstances surrounding the worker's death.

The victim has been identified by local authorities as Rogie Oren, 31, a stay-in laborer employed at the drainage and infrastructure project site in Purok Martinez.

According to preliminary police reports from the Koronadal City Police Station, the discovery was made early in the morning by the victim's brother-in-law, who also works in the area. While checking on the site, he noticed something unusual inside the newly constructed concrete box culvert.

Upon closer inspection, he discovered Oren's lifeless body. In a disturbing twist, the victim had been covered with a large burlap sack from head to foot, a detail that immediately raised flags for first responders.

A team from the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) was quickly dispatched to cordon off the area and process the scene inside the drainage structure.

Initial forensic assessments revealed that Oren sustained a catastrophic, severe head injury. Investigators believe the trauma was inflicted by a heavy, blunt instrument, possibly a loose metal pipe retrieved from the construction site itself. Due to the placement of the body and the nature of the injuries, authorities are officially treating the case as a brutal homicide.

Furthermore, site foremen confirmed that Oren was tasked with guarding the construction site and equipment overnight. A quick inventory by the police revealed a glaring anomaly: the victim's personal Sky Go 125 motorcycle was missing from the premises.

The combination of a stolen vehicle and a concealed body has led the Koronadal City Police to establish robbery as a primary motive for the violent attack, though they are not ruling out personal grudges or site conflicts.

In a formal police statement, authorities strongly condemned the senseless and violent act against a hardworking citizen, vowing to bring swift justice to the victim and his family. Detectives are currently interviewing potential witnesses, reviewing nearby security feeds, and collecting physical evidence to track down the perpetrator or perpetrators behind the gruesome attack.

As the investigation progresses, local barangay officials have urged residents and nearby business owners in Zone IV to come forward with any information regarding suspicious movements or unfamiliar individuals spotted near the construction site during the late-night or early-morning hours.