South Korea, a hub for Asian development, represents a major aspiration for many Filipino Overseas Workers (OFWs), who seek employment through the transparent Employment Permit System (EPS).

This public hiring scheme promises stable jobs and fair wages, offering a vital route to a better life. Yet, for one young Filipino, Michel Angelo Claveria, the dream en@ded in horrific tragedy.

His journey to prosperity abruptly turned into a cold case, leaving his family with one painful question: Why was Michel Angelo returned to the Philippines in a box?

The Shocking Discovery

Michel Angelo Claveria, a Marine Transportation graduate from Iloilo, chose the South Korean EPS program over a career at sea, starting work as a metal cutter in 2014.

His initial years were joyful, filled with social media posts showcasing his travels and friendships in South Korea. After a brief vacation back home in Iloilo in September 2015, Claveria returned to South Korea.

Shortly thereafter, in early 2016, he suddenly went silent. His family’s attempts to contact him were met with rumors from his friends that he might have gone “TNT” (illegal status) or had become an actor—implausible excuses Claveria’s family refused to believe. They filed a missing persons report in 2016.

The tragic answer came on April 3, 2018, when Korean nationals cleaning a factory water septic tank in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, made a shocking discovery: skeletal remains inside the tank.

Authorities, securing the area, quickly noticed a detail: a jacket found with the remains matched one Claveria was known to own.

The DNA Confirmation and the Stolen Money

Korean authorities coordinated with the Philippine Embassy, sending the evidence back to Iloilo. Claveria’s mother, Anghelita, confirmed the jacket belonged to her missing son.

DNA samples were taken, and weeks later, the Claveria family received the devastating news via text message: the DNA matched Anghelita’s with 99.9% certainty.

The remains were identified as Michel Angelo Claveria.

The initial focus of the homicide investigation quickly centered on four of Claveria’s Filipino coworkers. The trail led directly to Yugoslav Magtoto, a fellow OFW who had worked at the same factory.

Investigators found that Magtoto was the last person seen with Claveria before his disappearance. More damningly, Magtoto had used Claveria’s debit card to make an unauthorized withdrawal of 4.7 million Korean Won (approximately $3,500 USD) before immediately fleeing back to the Philippines in 2016.

The Toxic Motive

The motive for the fatal assault was rooted in a toxic mix of rejection and entitlement.

NBI investigators revealed that Claveria had rejected Magtoto’s romantic advances (affection). Furthermore, Claveria had planned to leave his current job to avoid the unwanted attention, a decision that enraged Magtoto.

In his fit of anger, Magtoto launched a vicious assault against Claveria, causing crushing injuries to one side of the victim’s body before disposing of the remains in the factory septic tank.

Following the discovery, South Korean authorities issued an Interpol Red Notice for Magtoto. Upon receiving the extradition request and comprehensive evidence, the Manila Regional Trial Court quickly issued an arrest warrant.

Magtoto was subsequently arrested by the NBI’s International Operations Division in Candaba, Pampanga.

Justice Demanded

The NBI’s deputy spokesperson confirmed the suspect’s use of the victim’s debit card and the extreme physical assault Claveria endured. Magtoto refused to cooperate with authorities, citing his right to counsel.

In May 2018, Michel Angelo Claveria’s remains were finally repatriated to the Iloilo International Airport, where his family and a crowd of media gathered to receive him.

His body, returned in a box, was laid to rest at the Cabatuan Catholic Cemetery. The family, supported by financial assistance and political figures, expressed profound gratitude that justice was finally in motion.

Yugoslav Magtoto faces homicide charges and is currently awaiting extradition to South Korea, where the crime occurred, and where he will stand trial for the tragic loss of Michel Angelo Claveria’s life—a life en@ded by a coworker’s toxic obsession and an act of extreme violence.