Cops probing 3 separate deaths in Caloocan, Navotas

MANILA, Philippines—Police authorities in the cities of Caloocan and Navotas were investigating three separate deaths on Thursday and Friday to determine if these were suicides or if foul play was involved.

In Caloocan City on Friday morning, the death of a teacher would not have been discovered if not for the blood dripping from the ceiling of his neighbor, who lived in the apartment directly below him.

Caloocan police identified the victim as Elton John Roa, an information technology teacher in his early 40s and a resident on 10th Avenue in Baltazar Bukid.

Police reports revealed that Roa’s neghbor, Ayer Amer Nera, noticed blood dripping from the ceiling of her apartment unit at around 5:30 a.m. as she was about to buy breakfast.

She immediately sought the assistance of a neighbor and a bystander and asked them to go up to the teacher’s apartment unit to see what had happened. Finding the door locked, the bystander had to remove some of the jalousies on Roa’s window to gain entry.

The neighbors discovered Roa’s lifeless body slumped on the floor lying in a pool of blood.

Police found an improvised shotgun in the victim’s room. An initial investigation showed he died of a gunshot wound in the left temple.

Authorities were still trying to determine if foul play was involved or if the wound was self-inflicted.

In Navotas City also on Friday morning, residents found a dead man on a sidewalk along Road 10 in Barangay Northbay Boulevard South.

Navotas police have yet to identify the man, who was about 20 to 30 years old, 5’4” in height and had multiple tattoos on his chest and back.

Police, citing an initial investigation, said the victim might have died of strangulation as shown by marks on his neck.

An autopsy would be conducted on the body, which has been transferred to a funeral home in Longos in nearby Malabon City.

On Thursday morning, a businessman identified as Bryan Ang allegedly took his life while inside a parked vehicle in Morning Breeze Subdivision, Barangay 82, Caloocan City.

A police report said that one of Ang’s employees found his blood-spattered body inside his Toyota Hi-Ace van at around 9 a.m. Thursday. The victim had a gunshot wound in the middle of his forehead.

Ang’s driver had to smash the van’s window to bring him out as the vehicle’s door was locked.

The victim was then rushed to the MCU Hospital, but was pronounced dead after 45 minutes.

Police found a 9 mm Smith & Wesson Springfield pistol and one spent shell inside the van.