American tries to jump off Marcelo Fernan Bridge

CEBU, Philippines - Broke and depressed, an American climbed one of the towers of the Marcelo Fernan Bridge to end his life but said he had second thoughts poised on the edge.

Jerry Lynn Johnston, 50 years old, a former US Navy serviceman from Alabama, USA, told reporters yesterday that he just walked from his house in Sitio Datag, Barangay Maribago, Lapu-Lapu City, up to the Marcelo Fernan Bridge.

He said that climbing the bridge tower was just a spur of the moment decision after he found a ladder leading to the top of the bridge tower.

Personnel of the Department of Public Works and Highways saw him climb around 1:50 p.m. and immediately contacted the Mandaue City Police Office.  

Upon reaching the top of the tower, he said that he really wanted to jump off but got scared and ended up smoking four cigarettes to steady himself.

“I’m deeply sorry for all Filipinos. It was easy to get there. I wanted to jump but it was scary and it got on my nerves so I just puffed a few cigarette sticks,” he said.

MCPO Deputy Director for Operations Supt. James Goforth came to persuade him to come down. But what Johnston did not know was Insp. Wilson Abot and PO1 Jeffry Sumile were climbing up the ladder to subdue him.

Abot said that when they were already on top Johnston saw them and tried to jump but they grabbed him and quickly handcuffed him.

Goforth said that it not take them long to get Johnston under control but they had no equipment to bring him down and asked for help from the Mandaue City Fire Department. But the fire department said their aerial ladder was not functioning at the time.

They tried asking the Bureau of Fire Protection but was also told that they still needed permission from their superiors.

After two hours and with the temperature climbing Abot decided to bring Johnston down using a rope brought by the Accident Emergency Rescue Team. They fashioned it into a harness around Johnston and lowered him to the bridge before taking him to the police headquarters.

At the police headquarters, Johnston said that he was just depressed after his resto bar and billiard hall in Barangay Basak, wherein he invested P250,000, went bankrupt this year.

He also manages another resto-bar also in Barangay Basak however the owner threatened to fire him if he could not present his immigration papers.

He said that his immigration papers had already expired and he needs P20,000 to renew it. He also said he wants to go back home to the US but does not have the money.

He said that he has been here in the Philippines for the two years as he first came to live in Barangay Lipata, Minglanilla town. He also said he has had several girlfriends here and even had a homosexual live-in partner at one time, but they broke up and he transferred to Datag in Barangay Maribago.

After being questioned yesterday Johnston was brought to the Mandaue City Hospital for a check-up.

Goforth said that Johnston may face charges of alarm and scandal and will be detained at the Mandaue police station 1 pending the filing of charges against him.

It was the second incident this year when a man came to climb the same bridge in order to commit suicide.

Last January, 17-year-old Jessie Mollena climbed a bridge tower and only went back down after three days. —/BRP   - (THE FREEMAN)