Previous Story
POLICE BRIEF
|
Posted on Aug 15 2004
MAN IN COMA AFTER ATTACK
A fight over a woman landed one man in jail after allegedly mauling and seriously injuring another, whose head reportedly got fractured as a result of the fray.
Police immediately arrested 37-year-old Edgardo Agno Palma, a salesman, after the incident at the parking lot of the Dai Ichi Hotel Saipan Beach early Friday morning.
He allegedly mauled Luciano Ortiz, a 33-year-old painter at the hotel’s Engineering Department.
Palma claimed to be the woman’s paramour, according to Philippine Consulate assistance-to-nationals officer Victor Española. Ortiz, however, allegedly continued to court the woman.
The mauling took place after Palma and the woman went to the hotel’s disco last Thursday.
According to Española, Palma admitted beating up Ortiz with his bare hands. The skull fracture sustained by Ortiz, however, may indicate that a hard object might have been used to hit the victim’s head.
There were rumors that Palma used a baseball bat to hit Ortiz’s head, but the former denied this, according to Española. Besides skull fracture, the victim reportedly sustained blood clotting in the brain, Española said.
Ortiz remains at the Commonwealth Health Center’s intensive care unit, where he is hooked to a respirator. The CHC’s Dr. Yarofalir was unavailable for an interview as of press time to elaborate on the victim’s health condition.
Ortiz’s relatives would arrive on Saipan possibly this week after being contacted in the Philippines about the painter’s fate. Ortiz hails from Pampanga province.
Department of Public Safety commissioner Edward Camacho said the assault incident is being investigated. He could not give additional details. (John Ravelo)
