Councilman's death puzzles Danao cops 2 commit suicide in Ginatilan

CEBU, Philippines - Investigators remain clueless on the death of a barangay councilman who was found with several gunshot wounds on his body in a mountain barangay in Danao City last Sunday.

Oguis Barangay Councilman Renato Ouano, 37, was reported missing last Friday by his relatives after failing to return home from his farm a few meters from the area where he was found dead.

The victim reportedly left their house at around 7:00 a.m.

Following his disappearance, Ouano’s relatives sought help from the barangay officials who immediately conducted a search led by Barangay Captain Flordiliza Batucan together with tanods.

Batucan’s team reportedly discovered Ouano’s body drenched in his own blood at around 1:00 p.m. in a mountainous portion of the barangay.

Investigators said the victim sustained two gunshot wounds on the chest and another two on his head which reportedly caused his death.

Meanwhile, another councilman committed suicide last Sunday.

The lifeless body of Elmer Jimenez, 39, of Barangay Giwanon, Ginatilan, Cebu was discovered by his 40 year-old elder sister, Angelita Tuazon, inside the victim’s comfort room.

Tuazon said she decided to look for her brother after noticing that his store remained closed on Sunday morning.

Worried, Tuazon went inside the victim’s house and saw her brother’s dead body with a lone wound on his left arm.

Investigators recovered a bloodied razor near the victim’s body which was believed to have been used in committing suicide the night before at around 11:00 p.m.

PO3 Eduard Villerte of Ginatilan Police told The FREEMAN that the victim had allegedly been suffering from depression after having hepatitis for years.

A suicide note detailing his last wishes was found a few meters from the victim’s body.

The letter however, did not contain any information which might have led to his suicide.

In a separate incident, a 29-year-old man also committed suicide inside his house in Barangay Sabang, Ginatilan on Sunday evening.

Magdalino Salumang’s wife Cristina found her husband lifeless when she woke up at around 11:00 p.m. Cristina was on her way to the restroom when she saw her husband hanging dead from their cabinet with a belt tied around his neck.

Salumang was rushed to the Ginatilan District Hospital where he was declared dead by the attending physician due to strangulation.   - (THE FREEMAN)