Doctor found dead: Suicide or foul play?

The Western Police District is looking into the possibility of foul play in the death of a 42-year-old doctor found hanging by the spiral stairway of his house Sunday night.

Police said Romeo Asuncion, 42, was already dead when found in his home at Unit 2, Gardenville Condominium, Sta. Mesa, Manila at around 9 p.m. Sunday.

Responding policemen said a woolen blanket was looped around the victim’s neck when found by his assistants Raymond Malapit and Niño Isberto. The two claimed that they discovered the victim’s body when they returned to the house after playing tennis outside.

The two assistants suspected that Asuncion committed suicide for failure to get a cure for his liver ailment.

According to the assistants, Asuncion underwent an operation for his ailment in 1994. However, the doctor again started suffering severe stomach pains four months ago.

Malapit and Isberto told probers that the last time they saw the doctor alive was at lunch time Sunday, after which they left to play tennis. They were shocked to find the doctor dead.

They said they found nothing unusual in the victim’s behavior before his death.

Meanwhile, a Manila prosecutor has upheld the murder and frustrated murder charges against the prime suspect in the killing of former Commission on Election (Comelec) information officer Velma Cinco filed with the Manila Regional Trial Court.

Manila Second Assistant City Prosecutor Danilo Formoso said probable cause against Conrado Robles was established in the investigation conducted by the inquest prosecutor.

Formoso’s recommendation was approved by Manila City Prosecutor Ramon Garcia, which will pave the way for the continuance of the trial of Robles’ case.

Robles is facing charges of murder and frustrated murder for the killing of Cinco and the wounding her son Carlo during a daylight ambush on Nov. 20 at the corner of Pedro Gil and Eden streets in Manila. Agents of the National Bureau of Investigation arrested Robles in a raid in Batangas.

Before Judge Reynaldo Alhambra of Regional Trial Court Branch 53 could arraign the accused, Robles asked for a new preliminary investigation, which was granted.

After the preliminary investigation, Formoso rejected Robles’ defense that he could have not killed Cinco because he was in Batangas at the time of the killing.

The prosecutor noted that considering the distance, it was not impossible for Robles to carry out the crime in Manila and later go to Batangas.

"There was no cogent reason to alter the finding and recommendation of the inquest prosecutor," said Formoso.