Talisay's vet found dead in his room

CEBU, Philippines – Talisay City veterinarian Galileo Larawan was found dead yesterday morning in his house in barangay Lagtang, Talisay City.

As of 5:30 p.m. yesterday, investigators from the Talisay City Police Station were still squinting for clues that would determine whether Larawan was murdered or had died of a heart attack.

Dr. Ben Pepa of the city's Rural Health Unit (RHU)-II, who checked the Larawan's body, said the city vet could have possibly died Wednesday night.

Pepa however refused to reveal the cause of Larawan's death.

The 53-year-old city veterinarian was found already cold and stiff inside his room by his laundry woman. There was dried blood in his nose and there was a bruise on a portion of his body, said Supt. Henry Biñas, the city's chief of police.

Biñas however said no signs were found that would indicate Larawan had struggled before he died.

A team from the Scene of the Crime Operation (SOCO) was also called to help the police.

Larawan's neighbor, Arnette Bacalso, 40, said last Tuesday afternoon was the last time Larawan was seen at city hall.

Bacalso said Larawan was at that time entertaining a visitor reportedly from Cebu City. The visitor went home later in the afternoon of the same day, she said.

Bacalso said Larawan went to her house at 9 p.m. Tuesday to watch television with her family.

Larawan, single, was living on his own. Bacalso said that since he was busy with his work everyday, she would cook food for him, and every morning the city vet would just hand to her the dishes from the previous day for her to wash.

Last Wednesday, Bacalso did not see Larawan bring in last Tuesday's plates he had used, since she went out early that day to run an errand.

She said she thought the city vet had already done his usual tasks for that day.

Larawan was said to have suffered from high blood pressure.

His relatives believed he suffered a heart attack and since he lived alone, no one was able to attend to him.

Meanwhile, Larawan's laundry woman and relative Julie Labrador, 51, said she last saw the city vet Tuesday afternoon inside his house playing cards with someone.

Labrador said it was only yesterday morning that Larawan was found dead.

From the still slightly opened sliding window of his room, Labrador and her kin saw the body of Larawan lying stiff in his bed. They immediately sought help from other relatives.

Labrador said she was surprised to find the window still open, when Larawan would normally close it at nighttime.

Police did not find anything that would suggest that the house was rummaged.

But the city's homicide investigators PO2 June Dave David and SPO1 Alfredo Cuizon are still investigating.

Larawan had been the city's vet since Talisay was converted into a city in 2001.

His active participation in the operation of the city's slaughterhouse had earned the facility an "AA" accreditation from the National Meat Inspection Service for the last three years.

Meanwhile, PO1 Narciso Alforque said the doctor's body was brought to the Cosmopolitan Funeral Homes in Cebu City for autopsy. (FREEMAN)