Briton found dead in car

CEBU, Philippines - A 51-year-old British executive was found dead inside his car parked at Basement 2 of the Ayala Center Cebu yesterday morning.

John Christopher Hayes, a services manager of Timex Cebu, temporarily residing in Silver Hills Subdivision, Barangay Talamban, Cebu City, was found slumped in the driver’s seat of his gray Mitsubishi Fuzion around 11:30 a.m.

The victim was discovered by company driver Roger Ybañez and Timex senior security officer Virgillo Flores, who went looking for Hayes who was expected to meet with their company manager yesterday morning.

Senior Insp. Jul Muhammad Jamiri, chief of the Cebu City Homicide Section, said Hayes was last seen alive at around 9:30 a.m. by mall guard Erma Aronzado.

Jamiri said she reported Hayes was looking for his car.

Jamiri said there were no visible signs of struggle anywhere on the victim’s corpse.

Two bottles of gin, an empty bottle of brandy and several of the victim’s personal effects were recovered by investigators from the vehicle, he said. 

Initial investigation revealed that the victim might have died of cardiac arrest. 

Jamiri said based on records, Hayes reportedly parked his car in the basement Sunday night and returned only early yesterday. Hayes arrived in the Philippines last November to work.Mall authorities immediately cordoned the crime scene and Ayala Center Cebu general manager Joy Polloso assured the media that all of their queries will be answered in time.

“This was the very firs time. We are just following protocols,” said.

She immediately granted investigators access to their security monitoring room where they reviewed security footage. The security cameras eliminated the possibility of foul play. /BRP (FREEMAN)