Chopper and ground search operations were conducted to look for lawyer Ryan Oliva, who went missing since on November 21.
Oliva is a professor at the University of the Philippines College of Law and the chief of the Department of Tourism’s Legislative Liaison Unit.
Last November 24, UP College of Law and Oliva’s brother sought the help of social media to find him.
“Please text or call: +63922 860 1900, +63 906 300 1009 or email [email protected],” the tweet from UP College of Law read.
The DOT stated that it has been working with the Philippine National Police to find him and is in constant communication with the Oliva family.
The tourism agency likewise appealed to the public to coordinate with the PNP’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group for any information about Oliva through this number +63 920 905 1987.
“The DOT also requests for prayers for successful search efforts and appeals for respect for the privacy of the Oliva family,” DOT said.
The National Bureau of Investigation is also currently helping in the search.
Last Monday, November 30, the Alpha Phi Beta Fraternity, a law fraternity in UP, offered a reward worth P100,000 to any person who could provide credible information that would help in finding Oliva.
“Atty. Ryan P. Oliva is an Associate Professor at the University College of Law and Divisional Chief of the Legislative Liaison Unit of the Department of Tourism. Ryan’s family, loved ones, brothers in the UP Alpha Phi Beta, colleagues in the academe, students and officemates in the Department of Tourism, and many friends have been dutifully following and participating in efforts to locate him,” the fraternity said in a statement.
To further aid this search, a Facebook group called Finding Atty. Ryan Oliva was launched to share updates on the search operations conducted on the ground or via a chopper.
Details of the case that known to the public
Last sighting. A closed-circuit television footage that the NBI obtained shows Oliva was last seen exiting an establishment in Taguig in the morning of November 22.
In another CCTV footage, NBI disclosed that he was seen withdrawing money from an ATM machine in Kawit, Cavite on the way to Batangas.
The Alpha Phi Beta Fraternity also stated that Oliva left his home in Quezon City on November 21 and was last sighted in Nasugbu, Batangas on November 22.
Tracks. Last November 27, local authorities found his bag containing his identification cards and other personal belongings on the shore of Looc, Occidental Mindoro.
Mimaropa Police Chief Brigadier General Pascual Muñoz said the bag might have been washed ashore from Batangas.
A taxi driver also testified he picked up Oliva from the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City and was instructed to take him to sea, NBI spokesperson Ferdinand Lavin said.
A tricycle driver also told the NBI that Oliva asked him to tell the taxi driver to return to Manila and leave him there. The driver offered Oliva a ride to the beach but he declined because he wanted to walk there himself.
