'Late' robbers kill insurance consultant

MANILA, Philippines –  A consultant for an insurance company was found dead yesterday afternoon, apparently killed by robbers who broke into his house in Quezon City.

Police said the robbers came a bit late – Meinard Picao, 44, had deposited P200,000 earlier this week, based on a deposit slip recovered from his room. The robbers made off with his laptop, cell phone and wallet containing an undisclosed amount of money.

Police Officer 2 Randy Bantillo said Picao, who worked for HICI Co., a haulers’ insurance firm, lived alone in a house on Road 6 in Project 6.

Relatives found Picao’s body, which bore several stab wounds, in the kitchen of his house at around 1 p.m. yesterday. They went to his house after Picao failed to respond to efforts to reach him by phone.

PO3 Joel Gagaza said a brother of the victim last talked to Picao at around 5 p.m. Friday. A nephew, Nikko Picao, told police he sent a text message to the victim at around 9 a.m. yesterday but the victim failed to reply. Picao’s relatives said it was unusual for him not to respond.

Gagaza said the victim’s room was in disarray and the cabinets ransacked. The case is under further investigation, he said.