‘Bangungot’ kills Swede

A Swedish tourist was found dead Wednesday night inside his Filipino friend’s boarding house in Pasay City, seemingly a victim of "bangungot."

Police records identified the fatality as Jerker Lind, believed to be in his 40s. Lind was reportedly married to a Filipina named Nelly, who used to be a boarder at the house on Balagtas Street, Pasay, where he was found dead at around 6:40 p.m.

Initial investigation showed that Lind was discovered lifeless by one Vilma Laput, who is also a boarder. He was lying on the upper bed of a wooden double deck.

Magdalena Emia, owner of the boarding house, told authorities that a few hours before he died, Lind appeared at her doorstep and informed her that airport officials disallowed him to board the airplane on his way back to Sweden because he was inebriated.

Having known Lind for almost 20 years, Emia said she allowed him to stay at the boarding house for the night. The Swede later asked Emia for a bowl of the tahong broth that she was preparing for dinner. After eating, Lind went inside his room to sleep.

Laput later went to his room to wake up the Swede but noticed that his hands were pale and that he was not breathing anymore. Laput and Emia immediately called the police.

According to Emia, Lind had told her that he had just come from Bicol where he had visited his in-laws.

Recovered from the bedroom were Lind’s Rolex watch, a leather wallet containing P880 and a Malaysian Airlines ticket.

Lind’s body was brought to the Rizal Funeral Homes for autopsy. Police are still investigating the incident to ascertain that no foul play was involved in Lind’s death.

Boarders said Lind may have died from bangungot.

According to doctors, bangungot, or acute hemorrhagic pancreatitis (AHP) has several known "risk factors" such as alcohol and drug intake, gallstones, viral infections, obesity, trauma, intake of fatty foods and metabolic disorders. – Nikko Dizon