Man found dead in daughter’s house

MANILA, Philippines - An elderly businessman was found dead in the house of one of his daughters in Barangay Pasong Tamo, Quezon City on Monday morning.

Amador Castro’s hands and feet were tied with a length of electric cable when his body was found at around 8 a.m. Monday, said Quezon City Police District director Chief Superintendent Richard Albano.

The 64-year-old Castro’s body, wrapped in a blanket, was found in a second floor room of the house owned by his daughter, Maureen de Venecia.

De Venecia was not there when her father’s body was found, Albano noted.

According to Inspector Elmer Monsalve, the victim’s skull was fractured, apparently with a blunt object. There are reports that his chest had cigarette burn marks.

Castro’s money worth P150,000 and jewelry were missing, Monsalve said.

He said the victim, a councilor of Barangay Sto Niño who lost his re-election bid last Oct. 28, and his 12-year-old grandson left on Sunday to visit his daughter.

However, the victim never came home. The grandson came home alone.

Another daughter, Maricar Castro-Yanga, had tried calling the victim through his cell phone but the latter failed to respond. With the information from the grandson, they went to De Venecia’s house.

But when they arrived, the gate of the house was locked and it initially appeared there was no one inside.

Monsalve said the family went to the village hall to ask for help and to inform authorities that they would forcibly enter the house.

Yanga’s partner scaled the gate and saw through the window a body covered with a blanket in the second floor room. When they finally entered and unwrapped the body, they found out it was Castro. – With Janvic Mateo