Austrian stabs Pinay, leaps to death

An Austrian national committed suicide by jumping off the rooftop of a twelve-story building after trying to kill his Filipina girlfriend in Makati at dawn yesterday.

Police investigator Gary Reyes identified the fatality as Stephan Szauer, 28, single, president and owner of an architectural consulting firm in Makati, and temporarily billeted at Unit 808 of the Asian Mansion at 109 Dela Rosa corner Paseo de Roxas streets, Makati. Szauer sustained severe injuries in the head and body and died on the spot.

His girlfriend for three years, whom he stabbed before he committed suicide, was identified as Ma. Teresa Panganiban, 29, single, employee, of 35 Melantic st., San Lorenzo Village, Makati.

Panganiban sustained stab wounds in the neck, right shoulder and back. She was taken by her relatives to the Makati Medical Center for treatment.

Investigation showed that prior to the incident, Szauer visited Panganiban at around 10:00 p.m. last Thursday in her house where they reportedly had a candlelight dinner.

Aling Siony, mother of Panganiban, told probers that while the two were having dinner, she noticed that her daughter was a bit cold towards Szauer. Hours after the dinner, Aling Siony said that she suddenly heard Szauer arguing with her daughter.

At the height of the heated argument, Szauer then took a fan knife and stabbed Panganiban thrice. --