UST med student found dead in dorm room

(Updated 8:01 p.m.) A University of Santo Tomas medical student was found dead in his dorm room Tuesday, police said.

Kelvin Discutido, a sophomore student at the UST Faculty of Medicine, died of apparent natural causes, police said in a phone interview with GMA News Online Wednesday.

“Wala naman forced entry. Nnagpunta kami dun mga 11 a.m. dahil nag-complain na rin yung landlady tungkol sa foul odor at pumunta yung mga classmates niya kasi unlikely na hindi siya pumasok sa school,” PO3 Marlon San Pedro said in the phone interview.

Angel Daplas, Discutido's neighbor at his Rosarito St., Barangay 471 dorm, said his room began exuding a scent like rotting garbage on Tuesday morning.

"Kinabahan na lang ako nung hapon, nagdatingan po 'yung mga kaklase na sinabi po na two days na daw po na walang contact, 'di na daw ma-contact," said Daplas in a report on 24 Oras Wednesday.

Barangay officials helped break down the door to Discutido's apartment hours later and found his dead body inside. His body is currently being processed by the Manila Police Department's (MPD) Scene Of the Crime Operatives (SOCO), but MPD spokesperson C/Insp. Claire Cudal said Discutido's death was probably due to illness.

"Siguro sakit kasi sakit talaga 'yung sinasabi nila 'dun eh. Hindi naman siguro daw nangakyat. Pero malalaman natin 'yun 'pag makuha na natin 'yung report from the SOCO," said Cudal, concurring with San Pedro's assertion.

Brgy. Capt. Rubie Perez said his classmates described Discutido as a model student, saying he "graduated Magna Cum Laude, Medical Technology siya sa UST tapos board topnotcher. Second year siya ngayon, Medicine Proper at topnotcher."

The same 24 Oras report stated that the deceased student came from Talim Island, Binangonan, Rizal and, as mentioned in the phone interview, would have been the first doctor in his family. His friends and classmates meanwhile have taken to leaving tributes on his Facebook account, most of them expressing shock at his sudden death.

One post said Discutido wanted to study Fisheries after becoming a doctor to continue his family's business, while others posted pictures of themselves with the deceased.

“May you rest in peace, Kelvin! We will sadly miss you, but you will be lovingly remembered by all of us who love and care for you! Good bye, Kelvin!” one friend wrote. — Patricia Denise Chiu and Rie Takumi/BM, GMA News