Police inspect room where Edgel Joy partied before her death

Parañaque police on Thursday visited the room in Solaire Resort and Casino where Edgel Joy Durolfo partied as part of its investigation on the circumstances that led to her death.

Durolfo, 25 and an assistant manager in the high-end establishment, died in a hospital on February 26, a day after she, her boyfriend and three of their friends partied inside Room 812.

In Oscar Oida's report on "24 Oras," Parañaque police chief Superintendent Ariel Andrade said they conducted the ocular inspection to have a clearer picture on what transpired in Room 812 on February 25 and 26.

"Siyempre para makita natin yung mismong picture, kung ano bang talagang nangyari, kung tama ba 'yung sinasabi nilang statement nila na binibigay," he said.

Durolfo's boyfriend, Rodney Ynchausti, and their friends Molo Hwang, Josiebell Lim Uy, and Paulo Egoc are being considered "persons of interest" by the police.

According to the report, it was Durolfo who had Room 812 reserved for their party. Aside from her, Ynchausti, Hwang and Uy were also reportedly employees of Solaire.

In his affidavit, Ynchausti said he and Durolfo arrived at the place around 9 p.m. on February 25 ahead of their friends. He admitted that both of them took the illegal drug ecstacy.

Durolfo died on the afternoon of February 26 at the San Juan de Dios Hospital, hours after she was brought there by Ynchausti. According to reports, she was badly bruised and unconscious when rushed to the hospital.

"Sarcastic in his behavior"

In a joint affidavit, Annabelle Fajardo, Solaire in-house medic, narrated how Ynchausti requested for assistance in attending to Durolfo. She said Ynchausti "was sarcastic in his behavior" in stating his request.

"Companion of the patient identified later as Rodney Ynchausti was sarcastic in his behavior insisted to let themselves brought with them the patient to the hospital but I insist in helping them being our duty with regards to patient medical assistance," Fajardo said in the affidavit.

Fajardo said she came to Durolfo's aid after Ynchausti and an unnamed male sought security guard Renato Borromeo Jr.'s help at about 4:10 a.m. on February 26.

He said Ynchausti and the unnamed male were inside an elevator together with an unconscious female when they asked for help.

"[They] sought my assistance regarding their unconscious companion. I assisted them when they requested for a wheelchair but later on my companion EMT/medic Annabelle Fajardo arrived and suggest to use a spine board," Borromeo said in the joint affidavit.

According to Fajardo, Durolfo's face was covered with a towel. She said Durolfo was also unresponsive and had weak pulse rates.

"And upon my assessment to the patient, I overheard one of their male companion uttered, 'Ano, buhay pa, buhay pa'," she said.

Fajardo said she noticed the bruises in the right hand and other body parts of Durolfo upon their arrival at the hotel's clinic.

Andrade had told GMA News Online through text that they are "in the process of investigation of other witnesses" and that they will gladly accommodate witnesses who are willing to give statements.

Durolfo's official cause of death, as stated by her death certificate, is asphyxia by strangulation, but the police have yet to complete their own autopsy. —KBK, GMA News