Filipina helper in Vienna found dead

MANILA, Philippines - A Filipina housekeeper in Vienna was found dead with alleged stab wounds at the residence of the Lebanese ambassador to Austria, the Department of Foreign Affairs said yesterday.

Citing a report of the Philippine embassy in Vienna, DFA spokesman Eduardo Malaya said Romalyn Basalo, 30 years old, was found dead on Dec. 20.

Ishaya al-Khoury, the Lebanese ambassador was out of the country when the incident happened.

Malaya said the attention of the embassy was immediately alerted by the Viennese police and the charge d’ affaires of the embassy was present during the preliminary investigation at the police station.

The Viennese police promised to update the embassy on the progress of their investigation. The husband of the deceased, who is based in Dubai, has been notified about the incident and was expected to arrive in Vienna yesterday.

The DFA acknowledged the cooperation extended by the Lebanese embassy in Vienna to Austrian authorities in their ongoing probe investigation on this criminal case.

The body of the 30-year-old Filipina housekeeper was found in the building’s cellar by the ambassador’s cook, the only person in the residence.

The Lebanese foreign ministry said the ambassador himself was in Beirut when the incident happened but had to return to Vienna.