Benaldo may face charges for 'suicide' at House

MANILA, Philippines - Outgoing Cagayan de Oro City 1st District Rep. Benjo Benaldo may face charges of "alarm and scandal" for shooting himself at the House of Representatives Thursday night, a police official said.

"Posible rin (na kakasuhan) kung may magku-complain. As of now, wala pa kaya wala akong masasabi," Quezon City Police District chief Senior Superintendent Richard Albano said in a radio interview.

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Police will also verify the 9mm pistol used by the congressman in the shooting incident.

The congressman was found wounded and bleeding in his room on the fifth floor of the House of Representatives' building in Quezon City between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. Thursday.

"Ipatse-check natin kung talagang kanya ang baril," Albano said.

The police chief, meanwhile, said that there is no evidence of foul play based on the ocular inspection conducted by crime scene investigators.

"Walang ibang daan na puwedeng pumasok ang ibang tao o umalis, isa lang ang pasukan o daanan. Ating ni-rule out ang foul play," he said.

Benaldo, who had a gunshot wound in the chest, was rushed to the New Era General Hospital in Quezon City after he was found by his staff in his room. He was later transferred to the St. Luke's Medical Center.

House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., who rushed to the hospital to check on Benaldo, said Thursday night that the lawmaker's condition was "stable" and "progressing" while accompanied by his wife, Brazilian model Daiana Menezes.

Benaldo's term officially ends on Sunday as he lost his re-election bid in the May polls.

Three weeks ago, Menezes was caught in a controversy after posting cryptic photos and messages on her Instagram and Twitter accounts on violence against women.

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Social media users speculated that Menezes was a victim of domestic abuse, but the couple later dismissed it as a just a misunderstanding.

“We fought because of love,” Benaldo said in a statement.

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