Police face blank wall in couple’s slay

CEBU, Philippines — The police have not yet determined if the couple found dead in their rented room last Sunday in Barangay Maracas, Barangay Lahug, Cebu City, were murdered or if they committed suicide.

"We cannot determine kung suicide ba 'tong nahitabo sa magtiayon kay ongoing pa man ang investigation... Ang atong nahibaw-an nga adunay gamay nga away nga nahitabo tali nilang duha," said Superintendent Ryan Devaras, chief of Investigation and Detective Management Branch of Cebu City Police Office.

Pruana Apoli, 48, and Jerson Lawas, 29 were found dead by operatives of the CCPO Homicide Section after they received reports from concerned citizens.

Apoli was a native of Leyte who owned a stall in a mall in Cebu City.

Police Officer 3 Jeffroy Gutual, the investigator of the case, said that the staff of Apoli reported to the police after their employer failed to contact them for two days. Her last message to her staff was on Friday evening yet.

The operatives who responded to the report forcibly entered the rented room of the couple after it was found locked. There they found the couple who appeared they have been dead for some time already, according to Devaras.

He said it is possible they died Friday evening.

Apoli was found in the kitchen area with stab wounds in different parts of her body while Lawas was found in the room of the couple with a gunshot wound in his forehead.

The operatives recovered a kitchen knife beside Apoli while a .22 cal. revolver was found beside Lawas. Lawas allegedly owned the gun.

Gutual said bloody footsteps were found from the entrance of the door to where Lawas was found.

The two had just started living together two months ago, according to Gutual.

The neighbors of the couple reported hearing a single shout last Friday evening and did not hear anything more from the couple from then on.

The police are still not discounting the possibility of foul play in the incident. (FREEMAN)