Cops have new lead in NAIA suitcase slay

MANILA, Philippines - Pasay City police investigators are following up a new lead in the murder of a woman whose body was found stuffed in a suitcase left at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) parking lot Wednesday morning, an official said yesterday.

City deputy police chief Superintendent Samuel Turla told The STAR that a review of the NAIA surveillance camera footage showed Nidzmar Bahjin “was fetched by a woman” when she arrived at the airport on board Gulf Air flight GF156 from Bahrain at around 4 p.m. Tuesday.

“Investigators are looking into the possible involvement of a foreigner,” Turla said without elaborating.

Bahjin’s father, Omar, who arrived from Zamboanga City Thursday, told police his daughter was recruited to work in Bahrain but after a few months, she asked him to send her money because she wanted to go home.

Omar, a Tausug from Patikul, Sulu, blamed his daughter’s recruiter for her death.

Police said Bahjin’s body was found by a roving security guard at about 2 a.m. Wednesday. Crime scene investigators said she appeared to have been strangled.