CEBU, Philippines - A former program director of GMA-7 Cebu-based noontime program “Eat na ta!” was found dead inside his rented room in Sitio Kalambuan, Barangay Camputhaw, Cebu City yesterday morning.
Paulo Mercado, 38, native of General Santos City, was found lifeless in his room at about 10 a.m. by one of his housemates. The victim was allegedly last seen on Wednesday night.
Fred Inoc, 29, one of the victim’s fellow boarders, alleged that he and his brother were bothered when they did not see Mercado go out of his room for long time.
Inoc said Mercado often brings some of his friends into his room, and sometimes he will even hear him vomiting due to his drunkenness.
“Magda man sad na siya sa iyang mga barkada diri. Sige sad gyud na siya og inum unya maglisud og lakaw mura gani og wa’y potassium sa iyang lawas,” he added.
Yesterday morning, because of curiosity, Inoc said he tried to check what happened to Mercado by peeping through the hole in the wall of the room of the victim.
He saw Mercado lying in his bed and was perplexed because the color of his foot and stomach is different.
“Lain naman og kolor ang iyang tiil unya murag nanimaho naba,” Inoc added.
Together with his brother, Inoc said they called some barangay tanods and asked them to help open the room of Mercado.
It was then they learned that the victim was already dead and the blood that came out from his nose and body already smells bad.
SPO3 Rey Cuyos of the Homicide Section of Cebu City Police Office said that in their initial investigation, they found out that Mercado died naturally.
Cuyos said they did not found any wound in his body but the cadaver will still be autopsied to know the real cause of the victim’s death.
“Intact man ang iyang mga butang so sa inisyal namo nga findings natural lang gyud siya nga namatay,” Cuyos said. — Gabriel C. Bonjoc/WAB(FREEMAN NEWS)