Zambo newsman found dead in Parañaque

A Mindanao correspondent of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, said to be despondent over a failed romance, committed suicide inside his Parañaque City motel room early yesterday morning.

Inspector Glen Tigson of the Parañaque City police Criminal Investigation Division identified the alleged suicide victim as Jonathan Ma, 25, resident of 521 A.S. Alvarez Drive, Alfaro street, Tetuan, Zamboanga City, and a Zamboanga City correspondent of the said broadsheet.

Ma was found dangling from a shoelace looped around his neck and tied to the upper hinge of the door of his comfort room. His body was first seen by roomboy Ricky Niez of the Orange Apartelle located along Ninoy Aquino Avenue in Barangay San Dionisio at around 2:45 a.m.

Investigation showed Ma checked in at the apartelle at around 12:45 p.m. last Sept. 4 and was billeted at Room 23.

Niez told police that he noted nobody had emerged from the newsman’s room since Wednesday night and checking up on the room, he knocked on the door.

Niez said after knocking for a long time, he became suspicious and got the duplicate key of the room, and upon entering, discovered Ma’s body.

A search conducted by policemen at the scene yielded a suicide note addressed to one Sheena Rachel Fuentes of 261 Dalandanan street, Gatchalian Subdivision, Las Piñas, that reportedly told of Ma’s bitterness.

A tape recorder was also found in the pocket of his polo shirt that contained a tape that had a recording of Ma, saying his last farewell to the woman.

Probers said they believe the case to be a suicide noting that no signs of struggle and foul play were found at the scene. – Rainier Allan Ronda