Authorities have arrested one of two suspects linked to the killing and dismemberment of a male victim whose body parts were found inside a blue drum in Binondo, Manila, according to the Pasay City Police.

Pasay City Police chief Col. Joselito de Sesto identified the arrested suspect as a 64-year-old man known only as “Victor.” He was apprehended by operatives of the Highway Patrol Group and Pasay police at around 2 a.m. following a backtracking operation using closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage.

The blue drum containing the victim’s dismembered body was discovered by concerned citizens along Mel Lopez Boulevard in Barangay 275, Manila on February 15.

Based on the investigation, authorities traced the drum to a condominium unit along Roxas Boulevard in Pasay City. CCTV footage showed a Chinese national, believed to be the principal suspect, pushing the drum from the 15th floor of the building to the ground level with the help of a security guard. The guard reportedly assisted after being told that the drum contained soft drinks.

Another footage later showed Victor arriving in a rented white van, which was used to transport the drum to Manila. Police said they were able to identify and locate the suspect with the help of the van’s driver and owner.

Investigators who inspected the condominium unit found bloodstains, signs of cleaning, and traces of body tissue inside a bedroom, indicating that the killing and dismemberment likely took place there.

Initial forensic examination showed that the victim sustained multiple stab wounds. The victim is believed to be a Chinese-looking male, but his identity has yet to be confirmed.

Police said the Chinese national allegedly ordered Victor to book the van used to transport the drum. A manhunt is ongoing for the foreign suspect.

Authorities have yet to determine the motive behind the killing, but De Sesto said investigators are looking into the possibility that the crime may be related to debt from illegal Philippine offshore gaming operations.