Woman, a former gov't worker, killed

CEBU, Philippines - A 60-year-old retired government employee was found dead inside her room at Barangay Busay, Cebu City yesterday.

 Antonietta Espiritu, of PNB House Project, Nivel Hills, was found lying face down inside her room by her house help, Mary Rotche Himalaya, 42.

The victim was last seen alive at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday night before she went in her room to sleep.

 Himalaya, who slept at a nearby room with the victim’s nine-year-old grandson, did not hear any commotion.

Sr. Insp. Jull Mohammad Jamiri, chief homicide section, said the victim’s hands were tied together using her own bra while her legs were tied using an RCA connector.

Jamiri said there were no signs of struggle on the victim’s body. No signs of forced entry were found anywhere in her room so the perpetrator could have known the victim well.

“The victim’s death is still a mystery. There were no visible signs from the victim’s body on how she was killed aside from the blood from her nose,” he said. 

The victim’s body will be subjected to a postmortem examination. Investigators initially believe that her killer used a pillow to suffocate her.  

The Scene of the Crime Operatives also lifted several finger prints from the sliding window of the victim where the assailant could have escaped.

Though a gold necklace and two of the victim’s cellular phones were reported missing, Jamiri believes that robbery has nothing to do with the killing.

Sr. Supt. Melvin Ramon Buenafe have ordered his men to conduct a background check on the victim’s two previous husbands and his current live-in partner.

Busay Barangay Captain Yody Sanchez, on the other hand, told reporters Espiritu sought help from the barangay regarding her problem with her son. He did not elaborate. — (FREEMAN)