Barangay chair found dead with suicide note

Abarangay chairman’s body was found lifeless beside what was believed to be a suicide note telling his former wife about his debts, inside his room in Malabon City Wednesday morning.

Police Officer 2 Richard Calaycay, investigator on the case, said Barangay Baritan chair Alex Roque Jr., 40, died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound in the head.

Bottles of liquor and a letter telling his ex-wife about his debts, were found in the crime scene, Calaycay said.

Initial investigation showed that 19-year-old Alvin Orante, utility worker, found the lifeless Roque with a glock caliber 40 on his left hand inside his bedroom at his house along Borja Street around 8:30 a.m.

Orante said Roque asked him to get the pistol from the latter’s office around 9:20 a.m. on Tuesday, but he could not find Roque when he returned to give the gun so he just left it inside Roque’s bedroom.

Nanette Lazaro, Roque’s aide, said the barangay captain went to Philippine General Hospital in Manila to visit a relative.

According to the police, Roque returned between midnight and 2 a.m. on Wednesday.

On Wednesday morning, Orante returned to Roque’s house to feed the dog but he found the slumped bloodied body of the barangay captain inside his room.

Barangay secretary Jolie De Guzman, said she was surprised by the incident because the chairman just reminded her of their Christmas party a day before he was found lifeless.

Bong Padua, Malabon City public information officer, said the city “mourned for the death of Roque, who brought honor to the city with his achievements as a barangay captain.”

He added that Roque worked as a staff member of the city’s public information office before he was elected as Barangay Baritan chief.

Roque’s body was brought to Floresco Funeral Homes for autopsy while follow-up investigation is on-going.