Fireman found dead in Manila quarters

MANILA, Philippines–A Manila firefighter died of what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound in the chest, based on initial police findings.

The body of SFO3 Raul Cortez, a 52-year-old member of the Bureau of Fire Protection in Manila, was found inside the San Lazaro fire station in the Sta. Cruz area on Monday morning by a co-worker.

SFO1 Florante Lozano said he heard a gun go off once before he entered the sleeping area of the fire station’s drivers’ quarters and discovered the victim’s body.

He added that around 8 a.m. on Monday, Cortez arrived at the fire station and headed straight for the sleeping quarters.

Lozano, who was reading a newspaper just outside the sleeping area, said that around five minutes later, a gunshot rang out.

He told the police that when he pushed aside the curtain covering the entrance to the sleeping quarters, he saw the victim lying unconscious on the bed and bleeding from a chest wound.

Lozano and other firefighters rushed Cortez to the nearby Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center where the victim was pronounced dead on arrival.

According to a report issued by Manila Police District homicide investigator SPO1 Christian Caparas, probers recovered from the sleeping quarters a .22-cal. handgun with four bullets. Another bullet of a still unknown caliber was found embedded in the mattress.

According to the victim’s wife, Ma. Theresa, who gave the police her husband’s firearm license, she did not know of any reason for him to take his life.

Caparas said they were still waiting for the autopsy report as well as the results of two tests—a paraffin test to determine if the victim had fired a gun and a ballistics test to see if the bullet inside the mattress matches those found in his gun.