CIDG seeks National Center for Mental Health help to resolve Mexican chef's death

MANILA, Philippines - The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) has sought the help of the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH) in Mandaluyong City to determine the cause of death of a Mexican chef at the Fontana Leisure Park in Angeles City, Pampanga last Dec. 26.

CIDG director Chief Superintendent Raul Castañeda said they were seeking the clinical assessment of the NCMH on the victim, Elisa Gutierrez, 25, based on the accounts of her roommates and officemates prior to her death.

“Elisa’s actuations were requested to be evaluated whether these could be sufficient indications for her to commit suicide,” Castañeda said.

Gutierrez’ death was initially reported to be a suicide.

But the victim’s family, citing stab wounds in her body, did not believe she ended her life, prompting Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno to order the CIDG to dig deeper into her case.

Castañeda directed Senior Superintendent Ericson Velasquez, head of the CIDG’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Division, to interview her roommates and officemates to determine the cause of her death.

The accounts and description of Executive Chef Malek Elsafadi, roommate Sarah Andrychuk and banquet chef Tomas Rayandayan were among the documents that Velasquez forwarded to the NCMH to help them in their clinical assessment of Gutierrez prior to her death.

Gutierrez hanged herself at an abandoned office of the Fontana Leisure Park. Among the documents found in her room was a diary, but Castañeda said it contained not a single entry that might help them determine whether she committed suicide or not.

Castañeda said they were also seeking the assistance of the scene of the crime operatives present when Gutierrez’s body was found.

“An analysis of the scene of the crime is being requested and further clarifications on their autopsy report, DNA examination, fingerprint analysis and other related issues on the crime scene to help us conclude whether she committed suicide or not,” he said.