Geologist's autopsy report completed

Geologist's autopsy report completed

JAKARTA (JP): An autopsy report confirming the suicide of
Filipino Bre-X geologist Michael de Guzman will be given to the
Philippines government soon, police said.

Head of National Police Detective Department, Brig. Gen.
Rusdihardjo said Tuesday that the police had completed autopsy
tests that confirmed the former chief geologist of the Canadian
Bre-X mining firm committed suicide on March 19.

But the report was not final, Rusdihardjo said.

"We are open to any new possibilities," he told The Jakarta
Post.

"The report will be given to Indonesia's Ministry of Foreign
Affairs in Jakarta and they will deliver it to the Philippines
government," he said.

"The autopsy report concluded that de Guzman died because of
the injuries he had falling out of the helicopter," he said.

He said police would continue to investigate other possible
causes of death. De Guzman's medical records are still being
studied.

A body, believed to be that of de Guzman, 41, was found in
Muarakaman, East Kalimantan, on March 23.

On March 19 a helicopter pilot flying him from Samarinda to
the Busang gold site found the back seat empty.

De Guzman had helped find the Busang gold. Bre-X claimed there
were up to 200 million ounces of gold there, worth around US$77
billion, but this claim soon became controversial.

The finding of an alleged suicide note to his wife, raised
speculations of suicide. The note said he was suffering from
acute hepatitis B.

Earlier reports said de Guzman's family found it hard to
believe he had killed himself. They said the results of a medical
examination in February showed he was not seriously ill.

Filipino experts performed a second autopsy, at de Guzman's
family's request, to verify the incurable disease suggested by
his alleged suicide notes.

On April 18 a fingerprint expert at Manila's national Bureau
of Investigation, Bayani Palad, said tests to determine whether
the body was de Guzman's were difficult because the body had
begun to decay. He said his findings would have to be approved by
13 other bureau experts.

A forensic expert at the bureau said after initial tests that
he was convinced the person fell to his death.

Rusdihardjo said there was no cooperation with the Philippines
in the investigation.

"We investigated without involving other parties because the
accident occurred within Indonesian's jurisdiction, and because
the police and experts we have are competent," he said. (cst)