Police are investigating the death of a woman from Naga City, southern Cebu who was brought by her husband to a hospital after she allegedly suffered a heart attack but was later found to have gunshot wounds.
Police ended up arresting the woman’s husband Francisco Alpar, 49.
Alpar, a construction worker, could be charged for obstruction of justice for failing to immediately report the shooting incident.
Police said Alpar claimed that his 46-year-old wife Endridia suffered a heart attack when she brought her to the Minglanilla District Hospital on Tuesday night.
The woman was declared dead at the hospital. The body was later brought to the Holy Spirit Funeral Homes for embalming. It was there that the woman was found to have three gunshot wounds in the abdomen.
SPO2 Saul Alejandria, investigator of the Naga City police, said they believed that Alpar was trying to cover up the cause of death of his wife.
With this, Alpar was asked to undergo a paraffin test.
Alpar, however, insisted that there was no foul play involved.
Alpar said he was in his brother’s house in barangay West Poblacion when he heard someone from their house which was about 10 meters away shouting for help.
Alpar said he ran home and saw his children embracing their unconscious mother.
Police said that on that night, some neighbors claimed that they heard bursts of gunfire from the couple’s house.
Alpar claimed hearing none, police said.
Alejandria said it was unusual that there were no bloodstains in the couple’s house.
“If there were wounds, there should be blood,” Alejandria said in Cebuano.
Alejandria said it was unlikely that the woman committed suicide since she had three gunshot wounds.
“Ug mag-unay usa ra unta ka samad unya nganong sa tiyan man gyud nga pwede man sa ulo (If she killed herself, one gunshot wound would have been enough and why in the abdomen when she could shoot herself in the head,” the police officer said.
Police said charges will be filed against the husband if it will be proven in the paraffin test that he is positive of gunpowder burns.
Police said separate charges will be filed against other persons who helped the husband cover up the cause of death.
Alejandria said some neighbors were uncooperative in the investigation and gave contrasting statement.