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MANILA (UPDATE) - Julian Ongpin, the last known companion of late artist Bree Jonson, has claimed that the artist took her own life inside their hostel room in La Union, the police regional director said Wednesday.

"Ang allegation ni Julian Ongpin, nag-commit ng suicide si Brianna. Maaaring yung chain ay ginamit niya to harm herself inside the CR," PBGen Emmanuel Peralta, director of Police Regional Office I, told ANC's Headstart.

(Julian Ongpin's allegation is that Brianna committed suicide. She may have used the chain to harm herself inside the CR.)

"But that we cannot fully conclude as of this time. Tinatapos kasi natin lahat ng examination. May isa pang examination pa tayong hinihintay yung resulta, yung histopathology examination," he said.

(But we cannot fully conclude as of this time. We are finishing all examinations. We are still waiting for the results of the histopathology examination.)

The autopsy report was finished on Tuesday and its initial finding is that Jonson's cause of death was asphyxia. She also tested positive for cocaine use, per the urine test, said Peralta.

Jonson's father has been informed of these findings, he said.

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Peralta said police's Scene of the Crime Operation team inspected the markings on Ongpin's body on Tuesday and found that these wounds were not caused by a struggle.

"Ang nakita natin dun ay wounds caused by nails, mga pako. Tumutugma dun sa sinasabi niyang siya ay sumuot dun sa maliit na window sa CR niya sa kagustuhan niyang mapasok yung CR dahil nandun si Brianna," he said.

(We saw that these were wounds caused by nails. It matches his claim that he tried to enter the CR through a small window in his desire to go in because Brianna was there.)

"Na-establish na ating SOCO personnel na yung mga sugat sa forearm niya, sa katawan niya ay not caused by struggle coming from Brianna," he added.

(Our SOCO personnel established that the wounds on his forearm, his body were not caused by struggle coming from Brianna.)

Jonson, on the other hand, had "ligature marks" on her neck caused by the chain.

Ongpin was initially detained after 12.6 grams of cocaine was recovered in the room he shared with Jonson, but was released following a resolution from the prosecutor, said Peralta.

Peralta said at that time, there was no evidence to warrant the filing of a homicide case against Ongpin because there were no marks of struggle in both his and Jonson's bodies.

"Kung magmamadali tayo ng pagfa-file ng homicide or even murder case, in the end ay idi-dismiss yan ng prosecutor dahil wala namang karampatang ebidensya. Mapupulaan na naman ang ating kapulisan," he said.

(If we will hastily file homicide or even murder case, in the end that will be dismissed by the prosecutor because there was no sufficient evidence and the police force will be criticized.)

"Kaya ito ay pinrocess natin nang maayos at unang una, nakita nga natin yung drugs, yun ang una nating inasikaso. Pangalawa, hinold natin agad si Julian at nung lumabas yung resulta ng cocaine na positibo sa drug use si Julian ay dinetain natin siya," he said.

(That's why we processed this well and first, we saw that there were drugs so we attended to that. Second, we held Julian and when the results came out that he was positive for cocaine use, we detained him.)

His release from detention was "beyond our control," said Peralta. Ongpin has been "fully cooperating" with the investigation so far, he said.

The police will remain impartial in its investigation and resolution of this matter despite the social stature of the Ongpins, said Peralta.

"Ang sinisiguro namin, wala kaming kinikilingan sa pag-iimbestiga na ito, kahit na sabihin nating bilyonaryo o maimpluwensiyang pamilya itong Ongpin. Sinusunod lang natin ang tamang pagpapatupad ng batas," he said.

(We ensure that we will not favor one side in this investigation, even if we say the Ongpins are billionaires and is an influential family. We will just follow the proper implementation of the law.)

"Gusto nating mabigyan ng tunay hustisya yung family ni Brianna kung totoong may foul play sa kaniya at kung wala namang foul play, gusto rin nating mabigyan ng totoong hustisya o ng tamang laban, level playing field, ang pamilya ni Julian. Yun po ang sinisiguro natin dito, wala tayong kinikilingan, walang cover-up, walang kahit anong hinding magandang gagawin sa kasong ito," he added.

(We want to give real justice to the family of Brianna if there is indeed foul play, and if there is none, we also want to give real justice or fair game, level playing field to Julian's family. That we can assure here, that we will not favor anyone, won't do cover-up, or anything improper in this case.)

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Editor's note:

A group in the Philippines is dedicated to addressing those who have suicidal tendencies.

The crisis hotlines of the Natasha Goulbourn Foundation aim to make these individuals feel that someone is ready to listen to them.

These are their hotline numbers:

Information and Crisis Intervention Center
(02) 804-HOPE (4673)
0917-558-HOPE (4673) or (632) 211-4550
0917-852-HOPE (4673) or (632) 964-6876
0917-842-HOPE (4673) or (632) 964-4084

In Touch Crisis Lines:
0917-572-HOPE or (632) 211-1305
(02) 893-7606 (24/7)
(02) 893-7603 (Mon-Fri, 9 am-5 pm)
Globe (63917) 800.1123 or (632) 506.7314
Sun (63922) 893.8944 or (632) 346.8776

• Bree Jonson's mother wants immigration lookout order vs Julian Ongpin