Metrobriefs

Coed left alone in house hacked to death by thief

A 20-year-old senior college student of Letran College who was alone in their house in Quezon City was hacked to death by a still unidentified suspect early Tuesday morning, police reported Wednesday. Records at the QCPD Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit identified the victim as Joan Pelonia of Herrera Street, Imelda Subdivision, Barangay (village) Bahay Toro. Police said the suspect took the victim’s laptop computer. Investigation showed that the victim’s parents, who own a meat shop, were not at home when the crime was committed. Based on the report of Scene of the Crime Operatives, the victim sustained hack wounds on various parts of her body. The report said a bloodied bolo was found near the victim’s body.—Nancy C. Carvajal

Hospital patient kills self

A patient at the United Doctors Medical Center in Quezon City jumped to his death from the fifth floor of the hospital on Tuesday, police reported Wednesday. Police Officer 2 Roland Belgica of the Quezon City Police District Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit identified the patient as Alejandro de Lima, 56, a resident of Nasugbu, Batangas province. Belgica said De Lima was taken to the hospital on June 8 and was advised to be confined due to a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. According to his relatives, the victim rarely talked the past few days. Belgica quoted a witness as saying that De Lima jumped from the window of his room at around noon Tuesday and landed on the second floor roof of the UDMC’s Southeast Asian College Inc. building on E. Rodriguez Avenue. De Lima, police said, suffered head injuries and an abrasion in the left knee. He was rushed to the emergency room but died a few minutes later. It was learned that the victim’s daughter, who was watching over him, had gone out for lunch when the incident happened.—Nancy C. Carvajal

Pasay pet shops selling endangered species raided

The Pasay City government seized various endangered species following a raid at several pet shops in Pasay City Wednesday. Among the animals seized from various pet shops in Cartimar Market were tarantulas, Tawi-Tawi brown doves, Chinese soft shell turtles, garter snakes, ringneck parrots and bleeding-heart pigeons. Many of the animals were kept hidden under other cages or behind the attendant’s counter presumably to avoid detection, said Dr. Ronaldo Bernasor, chief of the Pasay City Veterinary Office. He said the rare and exotic species that were seized are popular among animal collectors. Prior to the raid, Bernasor said they received information that many pet shops in the area were selling endangered species. The seized animals were taken to the Parks and Wildlife of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Quezon City for safekeeping.—Tina G. Santos