Murder at MRT

A woman was found dead inside the Guadalupe station of the Metro Rail Transit III (MRT-3) in Makati City yesterday just as operations were about to commence for the day.

Police Officer 2 Rio Bucalan of the Makati Police Homicide Division said the body was found at 5:20 a.m. near the elevator of the station’s third level, which is an elevated walkway above the tracks.

Bucalan said station security guard Domingo Oneja found the body and immediately called the police. MRT operations begin at 5:30 a.m.

The victim was described to be between 19 to 22 years old, fair skinned and clad in a black T-shirt and slacks.

Her shirt was raised, exposing her breasts while her pants were pushed halfway down, leading police to believe that she had been a victim of an attempted rape.

A total of five stab wounds were found on her body, two in the breast area, two near the bellybutton and one near her crotch.

Investigators said the victim could have fought back, forcing the suspect to stab her.

Police did not find any of the victim’s belongings or any form of identification.

Police officers and a member of the Makati Department of Public Safety proceeded to the MRT station in Kamuning where a review of all security camera tapes was being conducted. However, Bucalan said that the initial review revealed nothing significant related to the incident.

Meanwhile, the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) said it would beef up security at the MRT-3, especially at night to prevent a similar incident.

Engineer Rick Inotorio, acting MRT manager, said the DOTC will also question security guards at the station to determine if they had been remiss in their duties,

"The woman was found on the footbridge where pedestrians cross from the north to southbound area and vice versa. It is open to the public 24 hours a day so it is not really related to MRT operations. Still, security personnel are supposed to monitor the area," Inotorio said.