Brokerage firm staff 'poisoned' over conflict

CEBU, Philippines - Two elderly employees of a brokerage firm were reportedly poisoned by a fellow agent on Tuesday morning owing to a dispute.

The incident happened in Barangay Sambag 2, Cebu City.

Dina Seraspe, 72, and Margarita Cimafranca, 53, both residents of Salvacion Apartment in P. Del Rosario Extension, experienced stomach pains and nausea around 6am after drinking coffee that was allegedly poisoned.

Seraspe was in critical condition as of yesterday afternoon. Cimafranca, on the other hand, was declared out of danger a few hours after they were brought to the Cebu City Medical Center.

SPO1 Victor Rowel Ayuman, homicide investigator, said both victims have alleged that their housemate, Artemio Baluyos, 67, poisoned them. The supposed motive is a recent sales dispute.

Ayuman said several other occupants of the apartment described Baluyos as a trouble maker.

Petronilo Lompres, 68, a fellow sales agent, told the police that he saw Baluyos pouring an unknown liquid substance into a kettle in their common kitchen at the third floor of the apartment around 4am. Baluyos reportedly left the kitchen quickly after noticing his presence.

A few hours later, both victims went to the kitchen for breakfast. Cimafranca said they got hot water for their coffee from the kettle on the stove. Later, while drinking their coffee, the victims experienced stomach pain, which later progressed to sever nausea, prompting them to ask help from Lompres.

Members of the Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation Inc. (ERFU) rushed the victims to CCMC.  

Baluyos was subsequently apprehended by responding policemen but he denied the allegations.  

Cimafranca also alleged that Baluyos has threatened to kill him during a recent confrontation because of their work. He said the suspect attempted to hit him with a hammer in rage during a confrontation.

The suspect is currently detained at Police Station 2 stockade while awaiting the formal filing of charges against him for double frustrated homicide. 

Investigation also revealed that Baluyos is facing estafa cases before Branches 1, 3 and 15 of the Regional Trial Court in Cebu City.  

The police have sent the kettle and the victims’ mugs to the Crime Laboratory for chemical analysis to trace any chemicals remain, which might have been used to poison the victims.

The victims and the suspect, together with other agents, have stayed in the apartment for over seven years as stay-in workers of a local brokerage company. — (FREEMAN)