High school teacher found dead in Manila apartment

MANILA, Philippines - A high school teacher was found dead inside his apartment in Manila's Quiapo district after residents complained of a foul smell in the area, GMA's Unang Hirit reported Monday. The report said the body of Joseph Lachica, a University of the East High School teacher, was already starting to decompose when discovered by authorities Sunday afternoon after they forcibly opened the door to his rented apartment in Gonzalo Puyat in Quiapo over neighbors' complaints. Danilo Condes, caretaker of the apartment, said residents around the area complained of a foul smell around 2 p.m. He said that at first, they thought it was a dead rat, but when the stench became stronger he notified the police. Police estimated that Lachica died as early as Friday. Initial investigations did not indicate foul play, although an autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause of death. “Maaaring inatake yan. Maaring parang lalabas na natural death yun e (He could have suffered a heart attack. It seemed like it was a natural death)," said SPO2 Virgo Villareal of the Manila Police Department. Condes said he did not notice that Lachica had not gone out of his apartment since Friday, adding that when he went over to see the apartments Saturday morning, he assumed that the victim was still asleep since there was no activity in the apartment. - Johanna Camille Sisante, GMANews.TV