Another Hi Up Bites The Dust

[Travis]

this seems to be becoming a daily event here http://www.sunstar.com.ph/network/ex-cebu-fiscal-slain-home Ex-Cebu fiscal slain at home CEBU CITY -- A retired state prosecutor was found dead inside his house in Talisay City Sunday morning.Retired Regional State Prosecutor Hernando Masangkay, 72, was believed to have been dead for two days before his nephew found him inside his room in Camella Homes Subdivision in Lawaan I.A single stab wound in the right side of the neck ended the life of the retired prosecutor.Police Officer (PO) 3 Mikey Espina of the Talisay City Police Station told reporters that when they found Masangkay, the prosecutor was wearing only a white sleeveless shirt and his briefs.The murder weapon, believed to be a knife, was not found in the crime scene.Espina said he and PO2 Stephen Sefuesca, also of the Homicide Section, found no signs of a forced entry or a struggle, suggesting Masangkay knew his assailant.They also discounted a robbery. The cabinets in the house were left untouched, and some valuables, P3,750 some US dollar bills and a cell phone were left intact as well.PO3 Mikey Espina revealed the police invited Masangkay's on-call driver, Daryl Tiu, 17, for questioning Sunday night. Tiu was later released. He is from Maghaway, just across Camella Homes.Tiu is believed to be the last person to have talked to Masangkay, when the retired prosecutor asked to be driven around the city days ago.Carl Montenegro, a nephew of Masangkay's deceased wife, told reporters Sunday he went to the retired state prosecutor's house at 11 a.m. to check on him.He decided to visit Masangkay after the retired prosecutor's youngest son, Reggie, asked him to check on his father.Montenegro said Reggie was worried that Masangkay refused to accept his phone calls since Friday night.Upon entering Masangkay's house, Montenegro noticed there were flies flying around, but he at first thought it was the garbage that attracted them.It was only when he entered Masangkay's room that he found the retired prosecutor's body.Montenegro immediately called the local police.Cebu City Assistant Prosecutor Mary Ann Castro, a neighbor of Masangkay, said that since his retirement, he has been living in seclusion for years, rarely seen by neighbors.Castro, who considered Masangkay a close neighbor, described the retired prosecutor as a good talker. Masangkay, a widower, had three children: Niña, Carlo and Reggie. Niña, the eldest, is now based in Dubai, while Carlo is currently based in Manila and Reggie is based in Ormoc City.After hearing of his father's death from relatives, Reggie immediately came to Cebu Sunday. He declined to answer questions.The Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Cebu City chapter will request the police for a thorough investigation on the prosecutor's death, said lawyer Michael Yu, the league's president."If there is a crime angle behind his death, we ask for the speedy trial and resolution of the case to bring the perpetrators to justice," said Yu."In any case, we will condole with his family and ask our colleagues to pray for the repose of his soul," Yu said.Castro said Masangkay was the "golden boy of the prosecution service.""I was awed by his intelligence and skills. You never tired of his vast experience and his academic life. Super admirable," said Castro.One of the remarkable cases Masangkay handled was the Nanan Gimenez drug case, Castro recalled. Gimenez had been charged with possession of at least 300 grams of shabu. The case provoked controversy when some lawyers involved in the case, including Castro, traded allegations of bribery.Masangkay "defended the fiscals and encouraged them to continue to prosecute the case," Castro said. (JKV/With GMD of Sun.Star Cebu)