A 37-year-old police officer was found dead inside his bathroom in Simborio, Barangay Tayud, Liloan, Cebu, shocking his family and colleagues.
The victim, identified as Police Staff Sergeant Merlou Molo Mercader, was a member of the Traffic Enforcement Unit (TEU) under the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO).
According to the initial police investigation, Mercader’s 4-year-old child knocked on the bathroom door but received no response. The child alerted his grandmother, who then tried calling out to him. After repeated failed attempts, the family decided to force the door open.
They found Mercader lying motionless on the floor, with foam reportedly coming out of his mouth. He was rushed to a nearby hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.
Mercader’s mother stated that he had arrived home around 11 p.m. and immediately went to take a bath. Police suspect he may have suffered a heart attack, though the exact cause of death remains undetermined.
Authorities have recommended an autopsy to confirm the circumstances surrounding his sudden demise.
