Fil-Am consultant dies in hotel room

MANILA, Philippines - A Filipino-American consultant was discovered dead inside his hotel room in Malate, Manila yesterday morning. 

Police said the body of Michael Christopher Lao, 61, who owned a firm engaged in consultancy for the hotel and food service industry, was found by the staff of the hotel.

Lao reportedly arrived in the country on Aug. 7 to hold a seminar and occupied a room at the hotel until his scheduled checkout yesterday.

At around 7 a.m. yesterday, a hotel employee made a wake-up call to the victim’s room but received no reply. Rowena Versoza, the duty manager, and a room boy opened the victim’s room with a duplicate key and found him sitting motionless on a sofa. Hotel nurse Ma. Teresa Caperal confirmed he was already dead.

Police said the victim had no external injury. It was also gathered that on Monday night the victim, accompanied by a woman and a boy, arrived at his hotel room. The visitors left the hotel past 11 p.m.

Police said an autopsy will be conducted on the victim, while the US embassy was notified of Lao’s death.– Nestor Etolle, Sandy Araneta