Court employee found dead
ALITAGTAG, Batangas—A court employee was found hanging on a tree on Saturday in a forested area in Barangay (village) Munlawin in Alitagtag town, nine days after he was reported missing by his family.
Benjie Magpantay, 35, appeared to have been dead for over a week when his decomposing body was found by resident Rene Garcia, hanging on a branch of a tree past 2 p.m. on Saturday, said Alitagtag police chief Senior Inspector Michael Encio.
Magpantay, the construction and maintenance general foreman at the Regional Trial Court Branch 86 in Taal town, was reported missing by his family on Feb. 9, Encio said.
The forested area where Magpantay was found dead is on a property owned by his family, Encio said.
An autopsy made by the National Bureau of Investigation suggested that Magpantay committed suicide, according to Encio.—Jerome C. Balinton
If you or someone you know is in need of assistance, please reach out to the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH). Their crisis hotlines are available at 1553 (Luzon-wide landline toll-free), 0917-899-USAP (8727), 0966-351-4518, and 0908-639-2672. For more information, visit their website: (https://doh.gov.ph/NCMH-Crisis-Hotline)
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