QCPD probes AFP colonel’s death at Camp Aguinaldo

MANILA, Philippines — The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) is investigating the death of Col. Rolando Caraos Escalona Jr., who was found lifeless in his quarters at Camp Aguinaldo early last Friday.

Escalona, a lawyer and officer assigned to the J2 division of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), was discovered lifeless around 12:30 a.m.

Closed-circuit television footage from the J2 building in the compound of the Intelligence Service of the AFP showed Escalona leaving the premises at 8:45 p.m. on Nov. 20, according to a preliminary investigation. 

Biometric logs indicated that his last recorded entry times were at 8:34 p.m. and 12:37 p.m. on the same day.

Chrismond Mercado, a staff member of Escalona, told investigators that their last phone conversation occurred at 8:37 p.m. on Nov. 20. 

Mercado said he texted the victim twice the following morning about scheduled meetings, but did not receive a reply, which was unusual as Escalona typically responded to messages about his appointments.

Escalona was absent from a 9 a.m. meeting on Nov. 21, and another meeting that day was postponed.

The victim’s widow, Judy Anne Doctor-Escalona, stated in her affidavit that she tried calling her husband multiple times on the night of Nov. 21, but received no response.

Concerned, she went to his quarters and found his lifeless body.

She said her husband had mentioned the previous day that he planned to clean his gun and teach their eldest child how to shoot.

Probers are investigating the discovery of a 9mm pistol with serial number U190272 at the scene.

The QCPD said its request for a verification of the firearm’s registered owner has been submitted, and the result is still pending.