NZ man found dead in Taguig detention facility

MANILA, Philippines—A foreigner who was caught scavenging through garbage in Makati City last year, was found dead at a detention facility in Taguig Sunday afternoon, the police said.

Police identified the victim as Lionel Albert Stride, 61, a native of New Zealand. He was staying at the Bureau of Immigration’s detention facility inside Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig.

Police reports revealed Stride was found dead at about 1 p.m. Sunday at the ground floor of Building 1 inside the detention center.

“Apparently, he was found dead at his bed, inside his room in the center,” said Taguig Police Chief Senior Superintendent Tomas Apolinario.

Meanwhile, staff at the detention facility said Stride appeared to have died of a heart attack.

“Other inmates called the security’s attention and asked that the victim be visited, because he was not… moving. He apparently died of a heart attack,” an officer at the facility, who declined to be named because he lacked authority to talk to media, said in telephone interview.

Apolinario noted that Stride was brought to the detention center last
year after being found in Makati.

“The Bureau of Immigration… caught him scavenging trash in Makati sometime last year and was brought to the detention center,” he said.

Stride’s body is being examined for autopsy at the Loreto Funeral Homes. Immigration officials have yet to decide what to do with his body after the investigation.