BODY FOUND IN BAG

Former gov’t. official found dead in luggage, had injuries in the head

A 74-year-old retired government official and another man were killed in separate incidents in Tudela and Daanbantayan last Sunday.

Around 6 p.m., Felipe Montero Baring was found dead and packed in a luggage in his house in Sitio Cabangcalan, Barangay Villahermosa, Tudela.

Investigation showed Baring succumbed to a wound in the head, possibly caused by a hard object.

SPO4 David Sotto, deputy police chief, said Baring was the former budget officer of Tudela Municipal Government.

Sotto said burglary could be one of the motives and that the culprit entered the house through a kitchen window.

“The victim had no enemies in the neighborhood. He had no friction with his relatives,” he said in Cebuano.

Elmar Orbita and his wife Cherry discovered the victim, who lived alone in his bungalow-type house. Cherry had assisted the victim, her uncle, with household chores.

Baring, who owned a farm and coconut plantation, was known to be generous to his relatives and neighbors. He sponsored their studies and Cherry was one of the beneficiaries.

Before the discovery of Baring’s body, Orbita went inside the victim’s house as he was hired to build a chair around 12 p.m. He wondered why the old man was not around.

At 4 p.m., Orbita and Cherry started to look for Baring. When they entered the victim’s room two hours later, they found him inside his luggage.

Baring, unmarried, was living alone in his house, which is more than 100 meters away from his closest neighbor.

In a separate case, Ursesio “Boy” Linabog Sr. was hacked dead allegedly by his younger brother Nonito past 4 p.m. in Sitio Badiang, Barangay Tinubdan, Daanbantayan.

Nonito was arrested after the incident. He was reportedly drunk at the time of the attack.

Investigation showed Nonito and the victim’s son, Ursesio Jr., were arguing before the hacking.

Ursesio Sr. sided with his son. He grabbed two wooden sticks and struck Nonito several times.

Nonito grabbed a sickle and attacked his brother, who died after he was hit. /