A SIXTY-YEAR-OLD British national was found dead inside his rented room in Burgos-Macahambus Streets, Cagayan de Oro City on Tuesday morning, with a rope tied around his neck.
Police Senior Inspector Nelsedaca Villanueva, chief of the Scene of the Crime Operatives (Soco), identified the victim as Ian Alfred Roland of Princeton, United Kingdom.
Villanueva said Roland has been renting the room for the past five months with his live-in partner, identified only as a certain Mary Ann.
He said they found the victim kneeling lifeless beside his wooden bed with a rope in his neck.
The rope was also found tied on the bed.
Soco believed Roland committed suicide but operatives still want the victim's body to undergo autopsy to ensure there was no foul play.
According to reports, Roland was not able to pay his rent for at least three months and his monthly pension from his country was also delayed, which reportedly caused him great depression.
Neighbors claimed Roland's live-in partner, Mary Ann, has not returned home for days. Mary Ann is reportedly earning a living by doing laundry for her relatives.
A certain "Ivan," Roland's best friend and board mate, said around past 11 on Monday evening, he saw the victim in an unusual behavior after getting slightly drunk.
"Now, we're shocked of what happened. We're best friends actually. Whenever I see him, I offer meals to him because I understand he cannot even pay his rent," Ivan said.
In an interview, Mary Ann said Roland was a quiet and happy man but when he gets drunk, "he's noisy."
Police Inspector Limuel Gonda, precinct commander of Police Station 1 in Divisoria, said they would inform Roland's families and relatives in UK through the British embassy.
The victim's body now lies at Bollozos Funeral Parlor in Barangay Bulua.