LIPA CITY, Batangas -- A 54-year-old nun was found dead in her apartment in Barangay San Carlos here on Friday morning, June 27.
Police identified the victim as Sister Merlyn from Matanao, Davao del Sur.
Investigation said that a friend arrived to visit the victim and noticed that the door and windows were locked and foul odor was present.
She knocked and called the victim but failed to receive a response, prompting her to seek assistance from barangay officials.
Barangay officials arrived and opened the apartment and saw the victim's body with blood stains on her private parts and naked and body bloated. Blood stains were present in her bed.
The Saint Therese of the Child Jesus Parish expressed sadness over her death.
The church said in a statement that she led mission communities here and was instrumental in building houses for poor families and taught religion.
It said that she suffered a heart attack and no evidence of foul play or sexual assault was found.
Her body was cremated following an autopsy as her body was in an advanced state of decomposition.
font-family: Gilroy; display: inline !important;>Follow-up investigation is ongoing.