Nonagenarian found dead

By: Jennifer P. Rendon 

A ninety-year old woman is believed to have been murdered inside her own home in Jaro, Iloilo City.

The body of Rosa Argel was discovered around 9 a.m. of Oct. 13, 2019 at Zone 2, Barangay Tacas, Jaro.

Her nephew, 47-year-old Leonel Songcuya, said he was checking on the victim when he discovered her body.

Argel, a retired teacher, lived by herself, prompting Songcuya, together with another neighbor, Espie Tabuada, to pay her a visit.

Tabuada said she noticed that the gate was closed since Saturday but it was not locked.

Upon entry, they peeped through the window and saw Argel slumped on the floor with a pillow covering her face.

Initial reports claimed she suffered wounds on the back of her head and forehead. A broken bottle of Emperador whisky was also seen near her body.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Hilarion Roga of the Regional Crime Laboratory Office 6 (RCLO-6)’s Scene of the Crime Operatives said it could not be ascertained if the bottle was used to strike the victim’s head.

The victim’s room was in disarray but there was no sign of forcible entry noted in the house.

Roga is not discounting that the victim knew her assailant.

“It’s quite improbable that the victim purposely scattered her things. It appeared that the person who was responsible for the disarray was looking for something,” Roga said.

Police investigators are now considering Argel’s death as a case of robbery with homicide.