The body of a telecommunications engineer from Bohol was recovered from Mahiga River on Tuesday morning, January 13, 2026, one day after he was reported missing, in what police are investigating as a possible suicide.
Tobby Olayan, 28, a field engineer originally from Capitol Valley, Barangay Dao, Tagbilaran City, Bohol, was found floating in the river at approximately 6:50 a.m. at the boundary between Mandaue City and Barangay Mabolo, Cebu City. He had been residing at Le Pad Apartments in Barangay Kasambagan, Cebu City.
Police Major Eric Gingoyon, commander of the Mabolo Police Station, told DYTR News that an autopsy was performed at 3 p.m. Tuesday but that authorities are still awaiting the official results. He said police cannot make a final conclusion or determine whether foul play was involved until the medical examination report is complete.
“We cannot provide a final conclusion or say whether there was foul play while we are still waiting for the official report from the autopsy,” Gingoyon said in an afternoon interview.
Richard Ogayon Aparisi, 45, a married air conditioning technician employed by MCRI Global Corporation and assigned to Innodata Knowledge and Services Corporation, discovered Olayan’s body in the creek and reported it to authorities.
Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) immediately processed the area.
According to police records, Olayan was reported missing on Monday, Jan. 12, after he failed to return home.
CCTV footage reviewed by personnel from the Mabolo Police Station showed he was last seen alive between midnight and 2 a.m. early Monday morning, walking on S. Cabahug Street near his apartment in Kasambagan, Cebu City.
Investigators said Olayan left his apartment without any personal belongings, including his wallet and cellphone.
A suicide note was allegedly found inside his apartment following his disappearance, according to sources familiar with the investigation.
Police reports indicate that Olayan had been working as a field engineer for a telecommunications company.
He had recently been promoted several weeks before his death but filed his resignation on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2026.
The resignation had not yet been approved by his employer at the time of the incident.
Colleagues and sources close to the investigation reported that Olayan had been suffering from depression related to his job.
Despite his professional difficulties, he had been making plans for the future and was engaged to be married next year to his partner, who works as a doctor.
The circumstances surrounding Olayan’s death — including the recent promotion followed by an abrupt resignation, reports of work-related depression, and his engagement plans — have left family and friends struggling to understand what led to the tragedy.
Police continue to conduct a thorough investigation into Olayan’s death while awaiting clarification from medical experts.
Authorities said they are committed to providing justice for the family of the Boholano engineer if any criminal activity is discovered.
The investigation includes a review of all available CCTV footage from locations Olayan was believed to have visited in the hours before his disappearance, as well as interviews with family members, colleagues, and acquaintances.
Police are treating the case with sensitivity given the possible mental health factors involved while keeping all investigative avenues open until the autopsy results provide more definitive answers about the cause and manner of death.