Miriam's kin shoots self beside grandpa's tomb
A first cousin of Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago was found dead inside a cemetery Monday afternoon.
Children playing inside the Christ the King Memorial Cemetery in Barangay Ungka I in Jaro discovered the lifeless body of Andy Cinco slumped beside his grandfather's tomb at about 2 pm. He sustained a single bullet wound in the right temple. Nearby was found the victim's caliber 40 handgun.
Initial police investigation and physical evidence indicate a possible case of suicide, although it was reported that the body will have to be autopsied by the Philippine National Police crime laboratory.
Cinco's mother, Rosalind Palma, is the younger sister of Dympna Palma, the mother of Santiago. The victim, who works for the China Banking Corporation, is married to Kathy Villalon, the editor of Sun Star Iloilo Daily.
Quoting witnesses, the Jaro police said that Cinco arrived at the cemetery at around 10:30 am. Witnesses told the police that the victim appeared to be praying at his grandfather Jose Palma's tomb. Every now and then, he would go to his Isuzu Trooper vehicle parked nearby as if to get something, then would return again to the tomb.
"He didn't appear troubled," said Archie de la Cruz, who works for the victim.
Before he left, Cinco left behind two computerized suicide notes, some documents, and de la Cruz' salary for the next five months.
"He told me to take care of his wife and the dogs, and that he had to go," said de la Cruz.
According to reports, when his wife woke up and read the suicide notes, she tried to contact the victim on his mobile phone, but could not get through.
Ely Pineda, lay out artist for Sun Star Iloilo Daily, said that he last saw Cinco the night before, when the latter picked up some things intended for his wife at the paper's office. He didn't seem troubled, Pineda observed.