BPS Director Norvert Yano in an interview yesterday said that the autopsy report stated that Antonino B. Arellano, 48, died of drowning.
Yano said the autopsy report indicated that the victim tried to commit suicide.
The autopsy report of Pathologist Dr. Manix Jonathan stated that the victim’s lungs were completely filled with water, a clear indication that he was still alive when his body submerged in the ocean.
The report stated that the victim’s body when found by the police officers on December 13 had no signs of any injuries and no blood in the ears, nose or throat.
The report added that the victim’s back hand had laceration but Dr. Jonathan explained in his report that the laceration was an after death wound and most likely a result of the hand rubbing against a coral.
The bruises according to the report are patterns of a rope being wrapped around the wrist.
Yano said the there was an indication that the victim’s hands were tied when found by the officers because of the rope found on his wrists but the rope was already loosen when he was found.
Arellano’s body is already in the Philippines as of this writing.
He was repatriated Wednesday night via Continental Airlines.
Philippine Ambassador Ramoncito Marino in a separate interview said that Arellano’s former employer Flavian Carlos shouldered the expenses for the repatriation of the cadaver.
Marino said the body will be picked up by Arellano’s family at the airport and some personnel of the Philippine Overseas Workers Welfare Administration and Department of Foreign Affairs.
Palau Horizon also gathered that the Filipino community in Palau also contributed financial assistance to the victim’s family.
Arellano had been working in Palau since 2005. He was employed as a company driver for South Pacific Transport Services.
On December 13, he was found dead at the Airai side of the KB Bridge. But prior to the discovery of his dead body, the victim went on hiding for several days for attempted murder in the first degree and robbery for physically assaulting a co-worker and robbing her of some $3,000 cash.
On December 8, Arellano accompanied the woman to the bank where she withdrew her money and proceeded to a remittance company to send money to the Philippines.
Arellano beat up the woman when she was about to get off the car causing her to fell on the ground.
The woman tried to hold on to the car but Arellano drove off dragging her instead.
The woman’s purse was left in the car.
