Case closed: Death certificate shows Llenes committed ‘suicide’

His death certificate showed that Renato Llenes killed himself. | CDND File Photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Renato Llenes died of asphyxia by ligature.

This was the findings of Police Colonel Benjamin Lara, medico-legal officer of the Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory, who signed the death certificate of the main suspect in the killing of teenager, Christine Lee Silawan, last year.

With Lara’s findings, Llenes’ death can now be considered as a “case closed,” said Jail Superintendent Jessie Calumpang, warden of the male dormitory of the Lapu-Lapu City Jail.

Read: Silawan murder suspect allegedly kills self

Llenes allegedly hanged himself inside the comfort room of the jail’s infirmary cell at dawn of May 24.  He used a piece of cloth which he ripped from his jail uniform as an improvised rope.

Calumpang said in an earlier interview that they would look into all angles on Llenes’ death including the possibility of a foul play.

Read: Teasing about Silawan’s death may have triggered Llenes – BJMP investigator

But with Lara’s findings, Calumpang said he was convinced now that Llenes had committed suicide.

Still, the BJMP  would continue to wait for the result of the autopsy on Llenes, which would normally take 12 to 22 days to complete, said Jail Officer 1 James Balabat, who is the assigned investigator to Llenes’ case.

Lara is expected to provide more details on Llenes’ death in the autopsy report that he will release soon.

Balabat said that Llenes was already buried at the Lapu-Lapu public cemetery on Thursday or four days after he was found dead. / dcb