MPD releases autopsy results of vendor, 2 kids

MANILA, Philippines - The Manila Police District (MPD) released yesterday initial results of the autopsy done on the bodies of a man who reportedly killed his son and daughter before killing himself in Sta. Cruz Sunday.

The MPD’s Scene of the Crime Operatives found that Jacinto de Guzman, 38, died of silver cleaner poisoning while his son Jeramil, 17, had a fractured skull from being struck by a blunt object, homicide section chief Senior Inspector Ismael dela Cruz said.

De Guzman’s daughter Jennifer, 16, who was initially thought to have been forced to drink silver cleaner solution, was found to have died of strangulation, he added.

However, investigators have yet to determine what actually transpired on Sunday, Dela Cruz said. He said except for the account of nine-year-old James Cuasay, no one – not even De Guzman’s widow, Edith – would talk to them. Cuasay is Edith’s nephew.

Dela Cruz said they brought a family-size softdrink to the SOCO for examination “because it is the only blunt object inside the room that could have been used in killing Jeramil.” 

He said that SOCO concluded that Jennifer died from choking and the drool that came out of her mouth was not conclusive evidence that she was poisoned.