Slay of gay exec puzzles cops

The San Juan police are facing a blank wall in their probe of the death Monday of a station manager of Federal Express Freight Forwarding (FedEx).

Superintendent Rodrigo de Gracia, San Juan police chief said the victim, Manuel Pinzon, 48, single, station manager of FedEx in Metro Manila, was believed to be gay as shown by evidence gathered, including a number of letters addressed to his fellow gays.

In one of the letters, Pinzon claimed the father of his male lover mauled him everytime he was caught in his company.

Pinzon’s body was discovered by his nephew, Ferdinand Tolentino, 33, in the living room of their house at 7-P. A. Sotto St., Barangay Tibagan, at around 9:30 a.m. Monday. He lay lifeless on a bamboo bench, his body covered with sheets.

De Gracia said Pinzon sustained multiple stab wounds in the back, hip and left thigh.

Police probers found no sign of forcible entry. But some of his personal belongings such as cellular phone, jewelry and an undetermined amount of cash were reported missing.

Witnesses said they overheard Pinzon screaming for help while engaged in a fight with a man in his house prior to the discovery of his body.

Meanwhile, an Australian was robbed of more than P53,000 in cash after allegedly being drugged by two men in Makati City last Wednesday.

SPO1 Aurelia Go identified the victim as Ian Dawes, 43, manager of the Australian Volunteers and billeted at the Saint Illian’s Inn, Pio del Pilar, Makati City, who filed a complaint at the city police headquarters yesterday.

Dawes said he was approached by two unidentified men at around 3 p.m. last Wednesday while walking along Valero St., Legaspi Village. Dawes said that he later fell unconscious after taking a canned orange juice drink given by the suspects.

The victim told the police that he ended up somewhere in Alabang, Muntinlupa City with his wallet emptied of all its cash.

Dawes claimed that he lost US$500 in cash, US$400 in travellers’ checks, Aus$50 and P4,000 in cash.

Also in Makati, a 28-year-old Columbian woman survived a 50-foot fall from her condominium in Barangay Poblacion, Makati.

SPO1 Lewelie Cristobal of the homicide division, disclosed that Lillana Sanchez fell from the 11th floor to the sixth floor of the Sunette Tower along Durban St., Corner Makati Avenue at around 8:20 a.m. yesterday.

The victim survived after falling on the veranda/garden of the sixth floor.

Cristobal said that she probably landed on the damp soil of the garden which most likely absorbed most of the impact.

Sanchez was rushed to the Makati Medical Center for treatment of multiple injuries in her arms and legs.

Investigators of the Makati City police were prevented from entering the 11th floor condominium unit of the victim by the Sunette Tower management pending the arrival of Sanchez’s parents.

Cristobal said the cause of the fall has yet to be determined although he did not rule out foul play or suicide. – Non Alquitran and Marvin Sy