Cops foil alleged suicide try

CEBU, Philippines – Employees and guests of Paragon Suite Hotel were alarmed after a woman who was carrying her three-month-old daughter tried to jump from the second floor of the hotel yesterday afternoon along Juana Osmeña St. in barangay Camputhaw, Cebu City.

Annie Puden, the supervisor of the hotel, said that the woman who was estimated to be around 20 years old, had been sitting on the edge holding her daughter and crying since 4:30 p.m.

Puden said that the face of the woman showed that she had a big problem.

The woman, who hails from Minglanilla town, allegedly frequented the hotel to visit the 50-year-old father of her daughter, a Briton who has been staying at the hotel since May 14.

He was not there during the incident.

Employees of the hotel including some of the guests tried to convince the woman to go back inside the hotel since she was at risk of falling outside the building where she was seated.

Meanwhile, the staff of the hotel also placed several foam mattresses on the ground in case the woman or her baby fell. They also called the police to help them regarding the woman.

The Mobile Patrol Group responded and PO3 Nilo Piedad managed to pass through a small window on the second floor and bravely walked the edge along the ledge of the hotel.

While concerned citizens kept on distracting the woman, Piedad grabbed them and led them away from the ledge and into the hotel through another window.

The woman and the baby were taken to the Women’s Desk for rest and counseling. 

Police believe that the woman and the foreigner father of her child have a relationship problem. They were not able to speak with the Briton yesterday.

In an interview with reporters, the woman alleged that she already decided to commit suicide the previous day but refused to tell the reason why and why she did not push through with it. — Niña G. Sumacot/BRP (THE FREEMAN)