MANILA, Philippines – Authorities discovered the corpses of former Abuyog, Leyte vice mayor James Bohol, 60, and his son Carlou James, 28, on Tuesday, June 30, in Barangay Imelda, Silago, Southern Leyte.
Their our bodies had been found three days after Bohol’s daughter, Faye, reported their abduction on Saturday, June 27.
“My father, James Bohol, and my brother, Carlou James ‘Jimbo’ Bohol, had been kidnapped at roughly 1 pm on Saturday, June 27, 2026, from their workplace inside a warehouse constructing positioned in Barangay Santa Cruz, Mayorga, Leyte,” Faye stated on Monday, June 29.
Abuyog Mayor Lemuel Traya stated on Tuesday that the Philippine Nationwide Police (PNP) confirmed the demise of the previous vice mayor and his son.
“The Native Authorities Unit of Abuyog unequivocally condemns this heinous act of violence. Such profound lawlessness has no place in our society,” Traya stated.
Afternoon abduction
In response to the ex-vice mayor’s daughter, three unidentified males kidnapped Bohol and his son utilizing a Mitsubishi Mirage with plate quantity GBA 6637 as their getaway automobile.
Faye added that the perpetrators had been reportedly seen departing from the Santa Clara Port in Allen, Northern Samar at round 4:55 am on Sunday, June 28, in a grey Toyota Hilux with plate quantity HAH 5228.
“They onboarded M/V Nelvin Jules, sure for Matnog Port, Sorsogon. My father and brother weren’t seen with them at the moment,” Faye stated.
The daddy and son had been reported lacking at round 5:30 pm on Saturday, June 27.
In response to police, a witness noticed three unidentified males enter the sufferer’s workplace on June 27, and left with the victims in a white automobile.
“The disappearance was reported to authorities by the sufferer’s live-in associate after the 2 may now not be contacted by their cellphones,” the Police Regional Workplace in Japanese Visayas (PRO 8) stated in a message despatched to reporters.
Investigators later discovered a automobile believed to have been used within the abduction at Sitio Bugho, Barangay Tingib in Basey, Samar.
Who was James Bohol?
Born on January 6, 1966, in Katipunan, Zamboanga del Norte, Bohol was a businessman by career and was the vice mayor of Abuyog from 2023 to 2025.
In 2019, Bohol ran underneath the Duterte-led Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Laban (PDP-Laban) for the place of municipal councilor and received.
In 2022, Bohol ran once more underneath PDP-Laban and received his reelection bid for municipal councilor.
At the moment, incumbent Abuyog Mayor Lemuel Traya received the vice mayoral place whereas his father, Octavio Traya, Jr. received the mayoral seat.
In 2023, Lemuel took his oath of workplace as mayor after his father after died. Subsequently, Bohol took his oath of workplace as vice mayor of Abuyog.
In 2025, Bohol ran as an unbiased for the vice mayoral seat however misplaced to Dario Lleve, the native guess of the Nationalist Individuals’s Coalition.
As of this writing, police are trying into attainable motives behind the killing, together with a connection to Bohol’s enterprise dealings and a person who the previous vice mayor allegedly had a battle with.
“Investigators proceed to conduct case build-up, collect and course of proof, interview witnesses, pursue all attainable leads, and coordinate with different legislation enforcement items to make sure the swift identification and arrest of the perpetrators,” the PRO 8 stated. – with reviews from Jazmin Bonifacio/Rappler.com
