University professor found dead

CEBU, Philippines - A professor in one of the universities in the city was found dead with his neck slashed inside his house along M. Velez St., Barangay Capitol Site yesterday noon.

Police said John Munalim, 45, a faculty member of the Cebu Normal University under the Arts and Sciences Department, was found by his daughter already dead inside the comfort room.

Kimberly Kane, 19, the victim’s daughter, said she just came from school shortly before noon and found the door of their house closed.

But when she tried to open the door, she was surprised because it was not locked.

She called out to her father whom she knew was still at the house that time but she did not get any reply. She went to the comfort room and was shocked to find her father, sitting on the bowl, bathed in blood.

Responding policemen from the Homicide Section discovered a slash wound in his neck and another wound in his left forearm.

Bloodstains were also found on the computer table situated beside the door, which was around three to four meters away from the comfort room, and on the door’s handle and lock.

Thelma Munalim, the victim’s wife and an English Teacher at Apas National High School, said there were no signs that the victim was planning to commit suicide when they last talked yesterday morning.

In a report over radio DyAB, Thelma blamed their neighbors for their alleged very noisy fighting cocks.

“Giingnan na nako sila na makig-coordinate namo kay masakiton og kasing-kasing akong bana ‘nya may nerbyos na siya, dili katulog sa gabii,” Thelma said in between sobs.

PO3 Geoffrey Gutual of the Homicide Section said they would not still declare that the incident was a case of either suicide or robbery with homicide until they receive the result of the autopsy.

Munalim was a native of Talibon, Bohol but he grew up in Basilan, Mindanao.

He has been teaching at the Cebu Normal University for more or less 8 years now, handling history subjects in undergraduate school.

He was a faculty staff under the College of Arts and Sciences but he also teaches a subject in the College of Nursing and in the College of Teacher Education.

A friend and colleague teacher of Munalim described the latter as a jolly and a silent-type of person who don’t talk much about his personal problem. —(FREEMAN)