US Navy to conduct autopsy on officer

MANILA, Philippines - A local funeral parlor official disclosed yesterday that US Navy pathologists would conduct an autopsy today on the remains of the Filipino-American naval officer who reportedly committed suicide after he was caught carrying a small amount of cocaine at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) last Sunday.

Chief Inspector Raymund Liguden, head of the Pasay City Police Investigation Unit, told The STAR that agents of the US Naval Criminal Investigative Service would also conduct their own probe into the death of Navy Lt. Commander Scintar Mejia.

Rizal Funeral Homes director Rodel Forbes said that, “nobody could touch or see” the body of Mejia after US officials requested to preserve the body until Navy officials conduct the autopsy.

“Their (US Navy) pathologist might visit Thursday morning because from what I known the person will arrive Tuesday or Wednesday evening,” Forbes said.

Forbes added that even the man who introduced himself as the father of Mejia was barred from seeing the victim’s body.

“Walang pwedeng sumilip sa kanya (Nobody could look at the body),” Forbes said, even as he refused to comment if there was foul play involved in Mejia’s death.

Police Aviation Security Group (ASG) agents arrested Mejia who was about to depart for Los Angeles, last Sunday at the NAIA terminal.

The police officers allegedly found .03 grams of cocaine from Mejia. He was brought to the ASG’s office at the NAIA for questioning.

Reports said that early the next day, Mejia requested the ASG officers to go to the bathroom, but the restroom at the office was occupied. ASG officers brought Mejia outside of the office to go to another toilet.

Police said that while on the way to the toilet, Mejia managed to run away from his guards and he jumped from a nearby stairs and landed headfirst at the concrete pavement.

Investigators said Mejia sustained head injuries and later died at the San Juan De Dios Hospital.

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), however, said that laboratory tests on substance seized from Mejia tested negative for any dangerous drugs.