American found dead inside rented cot tage

A 63-year-old American national was found dead in his rented cottage in Barangay Tangke, Sta. Fe, Friday afternoon.

The foreign national, identified by the police as Gregory Cortes, was a native of New Jersey, USA and was in the Philippines on vacation.

Cortes was found lifeless, lying on the floor of his rented cottage by the staff of the rental place.

According to the staff of the rental place, Cortes checked in on the afternoon of July 19 (Wednesday). The staff also said that Cortes appeared weak and unhealthy when he checked in.

“Maglakaw kuno ni siya kay maglisod na, mura’g kinahanglan gani og mualalay gyud,” said Police Officer 2 Eric Illustrisimo, case investigator.

In Illustrisimo’s investigation, the staff said they did not see Cortes since he checked in on Wednesday, which prompted them to check on him by opening the window of his cottage on Friday afternoon.

Upon examining the room Cortes stayed in, police found assorted medicine scattered beside the body of Cortes on the floor. One type of medicine was identified by a doctor in Bantayan District Hospital as treatment for convulsion.

Illustrisimo said that the dead body of Cortes is now subject for autopsy to determine the real cause of death.

Illustrisimo also said that they are now coordinating with the US Embassy to reach the family of Cortes in the United States.

Cortes' passport showed that the foreigner arrived in the Philippines on July 10th of this year.

Moradas/JBB