Investigation chief of Batangas City police commits suicide?

BATANGAS CITY — The investigation chief of this city’s police command was found slumped dead in his owner-type jeep yesterday morning with a gunshot wound in the right temple.

Superintendent Nilo Anzo, city police chief, said a tricycle driver found Inspector Felizardo Panaligan, 47, dead in Barangay Gulod Itaas at about 6 a.m. and immediately informed the police.

Anzo said investigators found Panaligan’s service firearm, a 9-mm pistol, on the right side of his lap, as well as an empty shell inside his jeep.

Although probers suspect that Panaligan could have committed suicide, Anzo said they would wait for the results of the ballistic test before making any conclusions.

Anzo said he found it hard to believe that Panaligan could have taken his life as he described him to be a "responsible and dependable head of the investigation division."

Asked if Panaligan’s death could be job-related, Anzo said it could be "possible."

"Marami rin kasi siyang hawak na mga kaso pero hindi pa namin alam kung alin doon ang posibleng may kaugnayan sa kanyang pagkamatay (He was handling many cases but we still don’t know which one could possibly be linked to his death)," he said.