Parked car yields dead designer

Two men, one of them a fashion designer, were found dead and hogtied inside a car parked near a mall on Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City yesterday.

Police identified one of the dead men as Melchor Vergel de Dios, the president of 1770 Garments Corp.

Investigators said Vergel de Dios was shot once in the back of the head.The other victim, who was wearing a black shirt and maong shorts, has yet to be identified. Both men were described to be in their 30s.

Their bodies were discovered in the backseat of a silver Ford Lynx (WNG-978) at around 6:30 a.m.

Security guards Brian Opinion and Rocky Carino told police they first noticed the car, which was parked between a UCPB branch and the Don Ignacio Building at the corner of Commonwealth Avenue corner Don Antonio Heights, at around 12:30 a.m.

They became suspicious when the car was still there in the morning.

"Looking through the car windows, they were shocked to see two dead men. One was on the backseat while the other was on the car flooring. They also saw bloodstains on the right door panel of the car," Quezon City Police District-Criminal Investigation Unit chief Superintendent Procopio Lipana said.

He said the gruesome discovery prompted the guards to seek the assistance of police.

Investigators said a white plastic bag had been place over the head of Vergel de Dios. He had galvanized iron wire around his neck while the hands were tied behind his back.

The other victim was hogtied using the same kind of wire.

A cursory examination on the body of Vergel de Dios showed that he also sustained bruises in the head and body.

The neck of the other victim showed strangulation marks and also had bruises in different parts of the body.

Police recovered inside the car a stainless steel pipe with bloodstains, two kitchen knives and an identification card belonging to Vergel De Dios.

Lipana said the Ford Lynx was registered under the name of the designer.

"We see murder in this case. As far as the motive is concerned we are still conducting our investigation," Lipana said.

The police official said it was likely the crime was not committed inside the car and that it was carried out by more than one person. 

He said that the victims were dumped in the backseat of the car, which was driven to the Don Antonio Heights and abandoned by the suspects.

The bodies of the victims were taken yesterday to the Philippine National Police crime laboratory for autopsy.

Trader killed

Meanwhile, police said four men gunned down a 53-year-old businessman early yesterday on Sabarte Road, Quezon City.

The fatality was identified as Eleseo Somera, a resident of Novaliches.

Lipana said Somera and his wife Manette were on board a Suzuki multicab (ZCF-552) on Sabarte Road at around 5 a.m. when four men opened fire at them upon reaching the North Olympus gate.

The suspects then commandeered a Nissan Sentra (ZNS-888) to escape. 

They later abandoned the car along Quirino Highway and fled to an unknown destination.

Somera was taken to the Bernardino Hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.Examination of the body revealed he sustained multiple gunshot wounds in the head and body. 

Lipana said QCPD-CIU investigators are following up the case.