Ex-state fiscal killed at home

CEBU, Philippines - Retired regional state prosecutor Hernando Masangkay was found dead with a single stab wound on his throat yesterday noon inside his house in a subdivision in Barangay Lawaan I, Talisay City.

Masangkay,72, widower, is believed to have been dead for more than 24 hours before his body was found because it was already in advanced state of decomposition.

Members of the Talisay City police responded to the house of Masangkay shortly after 12:00 noon yesterday after receiving a call for help from the victim’s relative, Carl Montenegro.

The former RSP of Central Visayas has been living alone in his house since his wife died because his three children have already a family of their own.

Masangkay’s third son, Reggie, 27, who lives in Ormoc, requested Montenegro yesterday to check on his father because he has not been answering his phone calls since Friday.

Reggie arrived later yesterday afternoon while his two other siblings are still in Manila and Dubai.

Montenegro said when he visited the house at 11:30 a.m. he immediately sensed that something was wrong because the door of the house was left opened.

Montenegro said he immediately called for police assistance. The responding policemen found Masangkay’s body inside his room with a single stab wound on this throat.

Police Officer 3 Mikey Espina said that Dr. Jose Marie Montenegro, Masangkay’s relative, told them that the victim had been dead for more than 24 hours already.

Espina said they believe there was foul play in it because the victim’s house was already opened when they arrived.

He added that the victim’s face was also covered with three pillows believed to have been used to smother him before he was stabbed on the throat.

The victim’s underwear was also down when the police found him on his bed.

Espina said they are now checking on the victim’s mobile phone hoping to find leads that would lead to the identity of the perpetrator.

The police are still facing a blank wall as to the motive of the killing. They have already ruled out the possibility that it was robbery-related because the victim’s cash and valuables were still intact. His drawers inside the room were not ransacked.  

The police are still checking on the information that Masangkay has a driver who is only known by the name of Daryl who would come to his house whenever he would call for his service.

However, none of Masangkay’s relatives have known Daryl since they have not met him.

According to the police, Daryl was reportedly last seen by the neighbors of Masangkay at 6:30 AM of Friday. Espina said that information was relayed to them by the relatives.

Masangkay had been living in Barangay Lawaan I since he transferred from Quezon City in 1995. — /FPL (THE FREEMAN)