Failing business drove family to suicide?

MANILA, Philippines - Business losses could have driven a family of five to commit mass suicide in their condominium unit in San Juan, a police official said yesterday.

A suicide note allegedly written by one of the victims mentioned financial difficulties, according to city police chief Senior Superintendent Ariel Arcinas.

The bodies of Luis Hsieh, 53, a native of Taiwan; his Filipina wife Roxanne and their children Amanda, 18; Jeffrey 13; and John, 12; were found in their unit at Midland Park Manor Condominium at around 9 a.m. Saturday.

The legs of Hsieh and Roxanne were bound together, with the other end of the rope in Hsieh’s left hand. Below the couple’s bed were the bodies of Jeffrey and John while Amanda was found in her bedroom.

The victims all had their heads covered with plastic sheets.

According to Arcinas, the victims were found to have been frothing at the mouth but the crime laboratory of the Philippine National Police (PNP) has yet to determine what caused their deaths.

Arcinas said Amanda was a student at Ateneo de Manila University while Jeffrey and John studied in Xavier School.

Policemen recovered two suicide notes, one addressed to the homeowners’ association and another to a close friend and neighbor, Dr. Grace Tan Chua.

Chua was asked to cremate their bodies immediately.

Arcinas said the Hsieh family was involved in the export and import of handicrafts to Taiwan. The main office of their business is in Guadalupe, Makati City and they have several shops in Metro Manila.

Relatives of the victims told Arcinas that the family business is down but did not mention how much the business had been losing.

According to Arcinas, there are indicators that family had indeed committed mass suicide.

“The door of the master’s bedroom was not locked,” Arcinas said. This could mean that the family members wanted their bodies to be immediately found, he said.

Despite the mass suicide theory, however, Arcinas said there would be a deeper investigation of the deaths.