Man dies after medical emergency in motel

By Jennifer P. Rendon

ILOILO CITY — A 44-year-old man died after suffering an apparent medical emergency while staying at a motel in Molo district, Iloilo City.

Alias Bert, married and a resident of Barangay Baluarte, Molo, was still alive when his co-worker and motel staff found him inside a room at a lodging house along Lopez Jaena Street in Baluarte at around 5:54 a.m. on Oct. 13.

Reports said Bert and his co-worker, who both worked at an adjacent motel, checked into two adjoining rooms at the lodging house with another companion at around 1 a.m. Tuesday.

At around 2 a.m., their companion left the two men to sleep.

Shortly after 5 a.m., Bert’s co-worker woke up and knocked on the adjoining room to wake him.

When repeated knocking went unanswered, he immediately sought help from motel staff, whom they also knew.

Capt. Ryan Christ Inot, chief of the Iloilo City Police Station 4, said the door was opened using a master key.

They found Bert in an apparent medical emergency, gasping for air, unable to speak and holding his chest.

The staff immediately called the Iloilo City Emergency Responders for assistance.

Bert was brought to Western Visayas Medical Center in Mandurriao district but was declared dead on arrival.

Inot said police considered the incident a “case closed” after determining that Bert apparently suffered cardiac arrest.

The victim’s wife also told police she did not suspect foul play in his death.

Police said Bert was a stroke survivor.