PETALING JAYA, MALAYSIA - Police believe a senior official with the Philippine Embassy might have been killed last month by a man he was having a homosexual relationship with.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan said police had ruled out their earlier theory that Finardo G. Cabilao, 52, the head of the embassy's social welfare department, was murdered by a syndicate linked to human trafficking.

"The suspect is a local in his 20s. Investigations are still ongoing to make a stronger case, including checking his DNA before sending it to the Attorney-General's Chambers," he said.

Cabilao's body was found sprawled in a pool of blood with multiple head and body injuries in the hall of his Casa Ria apartment here in Taman Maluri on Aug 7.

--The Star/ANN