By Jennifer P. Rendon
TRIGGER WARNING: SELF HARM/SUICIDE
A businessman was found dead inside a motel room in La Paz, Iloilo City morning of August 31.
It was believed that the 34-year-old victim, a resident of Pavia, Iloilo, had been dead for hours when his body was discovered around 8:41 a.m. Thursday.
Motel personnel had to force open his room after he failed to answer their phone calls.
Lieutenant Greg Matutino, Iloilo City Police Station 2 chief, said the victim drove inside the lodging house around 10:41 a.m. on August 30.
Employees could not ascertain if he went alone or if he was with someone else.
“But the room boys attested to have not seen anyone leaving the victim’s occupied room,” Matutino said.
Every several hours, employees claimed they usually checked on their clients.
But their calls were unanswered when they once more called starting past 7 a.m. They later decided to forcibly open his room.
Matutino said several suicide notes addressed to his wife, two children, and other family members were also found.
“So far, we found no foul play on his death,” he said.
Even his family is convinced that the victim took his own life.
Matutino said the victim could have suffered depression triggered by some problems with his businesses.
“He had conflicts with his business partners,” he said but did not go into details.
It was not yet known if the family would still request an autopsy.
Meanwhile, the Department of Health has constantly reminded those who have problems or those who knew individuals who are at risk of committing suicide that they could seek help in mental health crisis intervention:
The suicide prevention hotline of the Center for Health Development – Western Visayas:
1-800-10-333-8336
09985324047
09255469919
WVSUMC – 3202431 loc. 162 or 209
3292360
WVMC – 3211797 loc. 186
5037708
PMHU – 5298109
