Gambling debt linked to Tyron Perez's death
MANILA, Philippines – A gambling problem may have led actor Tyron Perez to kill himself, based on the testimonies of the actor's friends Priscilla and Alvin Salazar, police said Friday.
Perez, who was found dead inside a parked Toyota Altis along Barangay Ugong, Valenzuela City Thursday night, was allegedly saddled with massive debts due to his frequent visits to a casino.
Perez was even forced to sell his wife’s car to pay off the debts, according to the testimonies.
Police are currently conducting a thorough investigation to determine if the 26-year-old actor indeed committed suicide or if he was murdered.
"’Yon talaga ang lumalabas dito. Mayroon siyang pahiwatig na magpapakamatay siya, ayon sa mga nakuha naming testigo. Pero as of this moment, hindi namin sinasabing nag-suicide siya,”said Senior Inspector Arthur Quinones.
Aside from gambling problems, Perez also had problems with his wife Liv Espino.
Marital problems
Perez, whose real name is Jojo Malonzo Perez, had been staying at the house of the Salazars because of his marital problems.
"Basta ang alam ko lang may problema siya pero hindi niya masyadong dini-detalye, hindi masyadong madaldal," his friend Priscilla said.
Perez's wife, meanwhile, admitted that they were having problems but said it was just normal for any relationship to undergo trials.
She said they were together last December 26 and Perez even called her moments before he died.
“Sabi niya na hindi na niya kaya, gagawin na niya. ‘Yung last text niya, hindi na daw siya aabot. Parang may nahulog lang, narinig ko lang, ‘yung very vivid na naalala ko, ‘yung huling hininga na parang struggling,” she said.
Reports indicated that residents of Barangay Ugong, Valenzuela City noticed a car with plate number ZSP-875 at the side of the road as early as 8 a.m. on Thursday.
Perez's body was found dead by authorities at the backseat of the car around 7 p.m.
Police said Perez died of a gunshot wound in his head from a .22 caliber firearm, which was found beside his body.
"Sa cross-examination ng ating SOCO may gunshot wound sa right temple, isa lang," said Quinones.
The police will run a ballistics exam on the gun, while the actor’s cellphone will undergo a forensics test at Camp Crame. -- Reports from Doland Castro and Jerome Lantin, ABS-CBN News
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ETO PA HA
SABI NUNG WIFE NI TYRONE NAGKAUSAP CLA BAGO NAGPAKAMATAY YUNG ASAWA NYA. MAY NARINIG DAW CYANG PARANG PUMUTOK NA BARIL PERO KUNG TOTOO YUNG CNABI NYA DI BA DAPAT RIGHT AT THAT MOMENT SHE SHOULD HAVE INFORMED THE AUTHORITIES OR TYRONE'S FAMILY KC SABI NYA MUKHANG MAGPAPAKAMATAY NA YUNG C TYRONE AT MAY NARINIG CYANG BARIL SO BAKIT DI NYA PINAALAM SA PAMILYA NI TYRONE OR SA PULIS KAYA BAKIT INABOT NG MAGHAPON BAGO NATAGPUAN YUNG BANGKAY NUNG ASAWA NYA? AT IBANG TAO PA ANG NAG-REPORT SA PULIS? DI BA BILANG ASAWA KHIT PA NGA MAY AWAY KAU AT SABI NGA NYA BESTFRIEND CLA PERO BKIT HINDI CYA NAG-PANIC KNOWING NA MAY NARINIG CYANG PUTOK NG BARIL AT HINDI NA NYA MA-CONTACT C TYRONE. TYRONE'S FAMILY SHOULD LOOK ON THIS MATTER DEEPLY AS WELL AS THE POLICE HOLDING THE CASE KC I SMELL SOMETHING FISHY SA TOTOO LANG HA.
SUICIDE OR MURDER?
SABI SA POLICE REPORT NATAGPUAN DAW C TYRONE PEREZ SA BACKSEAT NG CAR NYA. PERO KUNG IKAW BA MAGPAPAKAMATAY PUPUNTA KA PA SA BACKSEAT? DI KAYA MAY KASAMAHAN CYA SA KOTSE? KC IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE LALO NA KUNG C TYRONE LNG NAG-IISA SA CAR NYA BKIT PUPUNTA PA CYA SA BACKSEAT PARA DUN MAG-BARIL. AT SABI PA NUNG WIFE NYA EH KAUSAP DAW NYA C TYRONE BAGO NAMATAY PERO DI BA NAGBARIL DAW YUNG C TYRONE PERO BAKIT DI NYA NARINIG YUNG PUTOK NG BARIL? TPOS YUNG MGA TWEETS NYA EH NINAKAW DAW YUNG CAR NYA, NA KUNG SAAN NAKITA YUNG BANGKAY NI TYRONE. BAKA NMAN MAY FOUL PLAY. CGURO DAPAT YUNG FAMILY NI TYRONE IPA-AUTOPSY YUNG BANGKAY JUST TO MAKE SURE LNG. TSAKA YUNG WIFE NYA WALA MAN LNG EMOTION KANG MAKIKITA, PARANG WALA LNG.