The body of a 64-year-old businessman believed killed by his helpers was found in his residence in Bacolod City yesterday, the police said.

Fransisco Lim was found lifeless by his secretary, Grace Legaspina, in the kitchen of his two-storey house at Narra Street, Corner C.L. Montelibano, Brgy. Villamonte, Bacolod City at about 9:15 a.m. yesterday, Police Station commander Luisito Acebuche said.

Lim suffered hack and stab wounds on his head, neck, eye, and armpit, Scene of the Crime Operative SPO2 Rey Pahayupan said.

Acebuche said that they are 95 percent sure that a certain "Ferrer" and an alias "Marivic", both from Calatrava town, Negros Ocidental, who are the Lim family's two helpers, are the ones responsible for the killing.

He added that robbery could be the primary motive for the killing because Lim's cellphone and wallet are missing and his room had been ransacked.

Acebuche also said that Lim must have been eating his snack when he was killed because they found pieces of bread and a cup of coffee near his body. Blood splattered on the walls showed that he was sitting when he was stabbed and hacked.

He said that before the victim's body was found yesterday, a relative called Lim's wife and son who were in Iloilo to check their house because he sensed something wrong.

Lim's son, Patrick, said that his mother was the one who accepted the two helpers three weeks ago and that "Ferrer" and "Marivic" has been performing well before the incident.

Reports said, on the other hand, that Patrick had advised his mother against hiring a male helper before the two suspects started working for the family.

Meanwhile, Acebuche said that they are checking a letter left by the suspects in their room and a cellphone number that could lead to the real identity of the suspects who were hired without any documents such as bio-datas.

The letter, which was signed by a certain "Marilyn Cortez", said "Mam, Sir: Sorry gd. Nag-out kami, damo gd problema (Mam, Sir: Sorry. We went out because of problems)."

"(Homeowners) should really require a police and NBI clearance before they hire someone," Acebuche said.

He added that they will work with the Calatrava PNP in searching for the suspects.*PP

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