Authorities have detained the prime suspect in the murder case involving a local resident at a gamefowl farm located within the compound in Sitio Lubres, Barangay Pung-ol Sibugay, Cebu City.

Identified as 43-year-old Jonathan Fortuna Leoligao, a married native of Talibon, Bohol Province, he was apprehended in Taboan, Barangay San Nicolas, Cebu City after hiding there for two days following the discovery of the victim’s body. The victim, 46-year-old Jovanie Asir Bonghanoy of Pung-ol Sibugay, was found buried within the premises of the farm.

Leoligao admitted to the crime, stating that the incident began on the afternoon of August 24, 2025, when he and the victim had been drinking at the suspect’s bunkhouse. According to the suspect, after Bonghanoy became intoxicated, he started provoking a fight.

He claimed, "I don't know exactly what happened because I was intoxicated, but I grabbed a knife and stabbed Jovanie in the neck repeatedly until he died."

Leoligao further explained, "I was unaware that once drunk, he would start yelling and challenging us to fight, even telling us that we were new to the area. This is what he always did whenever we drank together."

After the killing, the suspect concealed half of the victim’s body inside a sack typically used for chicken feed, while he wrapped the lower part of the body in a raincoat before burying it.

He reportedly coerced his four companions, including a minor, to help bury the body by threatening them.

Following the burial late Sunday night, August 24, the suspect remained hidden on the farm until the victim’s remains were discovered on Wednesday afternoon, August 27. After the situation quieted down, Leoligao fled to Taboan and eventually surrendered to his employer on August 29.

The victim's brother, Romeo Bonghanoy, expressed gratitude for the swift arrest, emphasizing the family's desire for the suspect and his accomplices to be firmly held accountable.

He also revealed that prior to the discovery of Jovanie's body, the suspect had falsely informed the family that Jovanie was missing and would not return to work.

The Bonghanoy family sought assistance from the local barangay tanods to search for Jovanie. Their investigation into the gamefowl farm led to the discovery of a foul odor and disturbed soil, which ultimately revealed the victim's decomposing remains.

This case highlights the ongoing challenges in rural areas where disputes may escalate into tragic violence.