Metrobriefs

Aussie, 77, found dead in hotel

A 77-year-old Australian was found dead on Wednesday afternoon in his room at a hotel in Ermita, Manila. The body of Cedric Marshall, a tourist who reportedly arrived in the country from Melbourne last month, was discovered a day after he checked in at Swagman Hotel on Flores Street. Case investigator SPO1 Mario Asilo of the Manila Police District homicide section said that the victim was found by a hotel employee after he failed to answer repeated knocks on the door. Investigators found no external injuries on the victim’s body, prompting them to believe that he may have died of natural causes. This, however, would have to be confirmed by an autopsy, the police said. Jeannette I. Andrade and Julliane de Jesus, trainee

Land firm sues clerk for estafa

A land development company maintaining a multi-level carpark at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila sued one of its employees after he allegedly failed to remit more than P230,000 in cash payments made by a tenant. Selegna Holdings Corp. charged with estafa accounting clerk John Aries Manimtim after he did not turn over three-month worth of rental payments made by Onaka Ippai Japanese Cuisine Restaurant which was leasing a unit at the multi-deck parking lot. Police investigators said that when Selegna asked the restaurant to pay its rent, the operations manager showed receipts issued by Manimtim. Jeannette I. Andrade and Julliane de Jesus, trainee