Construction firm exec found dead

A construction executive was found dead from a gunshot wound inside his Quezon City office early yesterday.

The body of Jesus Raposas, 56, president of JM Raposas Construction Co. Inc. and a resident of Fairview, was discovered by his elder brother Alejandro at around 1:15 a.m. inside the former’s office at Suite 101 of the Benflor Building on Quezon Avenue.

The elder Raposas told police that his brother was lying on his left side, his face bloodied.

Police said the executive had a single gunshot wound in the right temple. The bullet exited on the left temple.

Investigators added that rigor mortis had set in when they arrived at the scene of the crime. A 9 mm pistol was recovered.

Senior Superintendent Procopio Lipana of the Central Police District-Criminal Investigation Unit (CPD-CIU) said it was likely a suicide, but could not say why the man decided to end his life. He noted that an investigation is currently being conducted.

"The initial information that we gathered so far points to suicide," Lipana told The STAR. However, no suicide note has been found.

In Pasay City, a female engineering student committed suicide inside her apartment last Sunday afternoon.

Catherine Furio, 21, of Silang, Cavite, was found hanging over a steel rod in her room on Kamagong street in Sto. Niño at around 4 p.m.

Initial investigation revealed that Furio was not able to enroll for this schoolyear because her parents could no longer afford to pay her tuition.

According to SPO1 Antonio Canoy, Furio’s mother had asked her to skip school this year so her two siblings can graduate.

"She really felt bad, which led to an argument with her mother," Canoy said.

Aniceta Opina, landlady of the apartment, told probers they forcibly opened the door when Furio locked herself in and failed to respond to their calls.

"This is clearly a case of suicide as shown by the evidence we have," Canoy said.

Police said Furio had earlier told her roommate to take care of her things in case anything happens to her.

The roommate also said Furio, whose father is working overseas, had been dealing with financial problems for quite a while.

She said that Furio was even forced to work at a fastfood restaurant.

Furio was two years away from earning an engineering degree.— With Edu Punay