Scavenger found dead

CEBU, Philippines - A 29-year-old scavenger was found dead yesterday morning hanging by the neck inside his house in sitio Calachuchi, barangay Maghaway in Talisay City.

The fatality was identified by SPO1 Mikie Espina and PO2 Stephen Sefuesca as Joel Empuerto, a resident of the place.  SPO1 Espina said Empuerto was found by Julio Cabiles.

Police said Empuerto had been despondent since his live-in partner left for Manila last June 10 to work as a domestic help.  The couple has three children.

Last Tuesday, one of Empuerto’s children celebrated her second birthday.

Empuerto and Cabiles drank that afternoon and finished around 8:00 p.m.

According to Espina, while the two men were drinking, Empuerto had confided to Cabiles that he wanted to die because he had missed his partner.After drinking, Empuerto asked for cooked rice from Cabiles.

But Cabiles said he was shocked when he saw his friend dead the following day.

Espina said some text messages in Empuerto’s cellular phone showed he had missed her.

The woman had told him to trust her and to take care of the children.  (FREEMAN)