Death of businessman inside Cebu City hotel still puzzles police

Thirty-seven-year-old Janderol Lozales Jr. was found dead inside a room in a hotel in Cebu City around 3 p.m. on Tuesday, November 3, 2021. | Photo courtesy of Carbon Police Station

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Police have yet to determine the cause of death of a 37-year-old businessman who was found lifeless inside a room in a hotel in Cebu City on Tuesday, November 2, 2021.

Police Staff Sergeant Kitz Daryl Palaña, an investigator from Carbon Police Station, said that based on their investigation, there was no foul play in the death Janderol Lozales Jr. who was found dead around 3 p.m. on Tuesday at a hotel in Barangay Kalubihan.

“Initial nato nga pagtan-aw, wala man siya’y signs of violence or struggling, or mga tawag ana, wa siya’y mga foul play nga among nakita basi lang sad sa among nakita sa iyang physical kon unsa iyang position mura ra’g natulog,” said Palaña.

Initial investigation revealed that Lozales checked in at the hotel around 4 p.m. on Monday, November 1, 2021, and was supposed to check out at 12 noon on Tuesday.

Palaña said that according to one of the housekeeping personnel, they have been calling the room service number as well as the personal mobile number of Lozales hours prior to his scheduled checkout, but got no reply.

To make sure that Lozales was still inside the room, hotel staff knocked on the victim’s door and tried opening it but the door was double-locked, said the investigator.

“So ilang gitan-aw ang room, mao to ilang gituktok gitestingan og abri, which is dili maabri. So buot pasabot ana naka double lock, so naka lock sa sulod so naay tawo sa sulod. Mao to nga wala lang sa sila nanghilabot basin nag ready rapod or nag prepare ba,” he said.

The personnel reportedly called for the second time around 1 p.m., but still to no avail, which was why they looked for a way to open the door.

“Mga alas tres nakadecide sila kay nakulbaan naman sila basin unsay nahitabo so ilang gipangitaan og way nga ilang maabrihan. So kani si housekeeper gilili niya iyang gitawag. Pero pagtan-aw niya mura mag nikaging na, itom na ang nawng,” he said, which prompted the hotel personnel to seek help from the authorities.

According to the responding medical personnel, Lozales’ body was already in the state of rigor mortis, and that the latter may have already been dead for about six to 12 hours prior to its discovery, citing that the body was already stiff when found.

Palaña said they first looked for any medicinal products which Lozales could have taken, which could have caused his death.

“Mao na’y una namong gipangita pag abot namo didto nangita mi sa basurahan kon naa ba’y mga basiyo sa medicine, so far wa man mi nakita. Wa sad mi nangukay sad ha. Among gipang tan aw palibot. Ang CR pod, ultimo CR ako pod gitan aw basin didto gilabay, wa gyud, wa gyud signs nga naay tambal nga gi take,” he added.

The investigator further said that there were no signs of burglary inside the room, adding that the victim’s valuables were all recovered, including his laptop, mobile phone, and cash.

Palaña said that they are waiting for the decision of Lozales’ family if they want an autopsy to be conducted.

Further investigation revealed that Lozales went outside the hotel around 7 p.m. on Monday, or approximately three hours after he checked in, but he reportedly came back alone.

In a separate interview with CDN Digital, some of the victim’s staff at his convenience store in Barangay Cogon Ramos, Cebu City, said they were informed by Lozales about the need to close the store around 3 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon, or the same day and approximately the time the latter was found dead.

According to a certain Lyn, one of his staff that they rushed to the Carbon Police Station to confirm if it was indeed their boss who was found, citing that they last saw Lozales on November 1, which was their last duty at the store, but stressed that the latter kept smiling in front of them at that time.

Lyn said their boss, who is a native of Luzon, was so good to them but stressed that he was not the type to share his problems.

“Among nahibaw an ana niya kay molakaw siya sa iyang client niya, moana lang na may lalakarin ako. Pag uli ana niya, tag nime man mi mo out, wa mi kibaw unsa iyang mga problema, kay siya rama’y mag close,” Lyn added.

What shocked them, they said, was that Lozales had given their salary as early as October 31, when it should have been released on November 5.

Palaña also said that Lozales’ family in Luzon as well as his business partner in Cebu City, recently observed that the latter seemed to be acting differently.

The investigator further disclosed that Lozales’ family will come to Cebu City to get his body.

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