Guard in suicide try to face criminal raps

CEBU, Philippines - A security guard has sent police and fire officials rushing to a construction site yesterday dawn after he attempted to jump off a four-storey unfinished commercial building in Barangay Zapatera.

Benedicto Rosaceña, 41, of Tapilon, Daanbantayan climbed onto the rooftop of the building at 4:00 a.m. and positioned himself on a four-inch metal scaffolding. No less than Supt. Rex Derilo, chief of the Firearms and Explosives Division, responded to the scene and negotiated with Rosaceña.

He was joined by Chief Insp. Bonifacio Garciano, chief of the Investigation and Detective Management Branch of the Cebu City Police Office, and other rescuers from the fire department.

Derilo said the negotiation lasted about five hours until Rosaceña was finally convinced to come down at 8:45 a.m. Derilo said he was on his way to his office when he saw the commotion along D. Jakosalem prompted him to check.

Derilo said the guard appeared to be mentally disturbed. The police, during the negotiation, offered Rosaceña P5,000 and a breakfast but he turned them down. At 7:00 a.m. Rosaceña’s nephew assisted the police in the negotiation until he went down safely.

Construction worker Eugene Gomez, 45, said that he noticed Rosaceña’s strange behavior last Tuesday night. Gomez said the guard appeared to be incoherent in the way he talks.

Rosaceña, in an interview with The FREEMAN, said he went up the rooftop for fear that a group of construction workers armed with metal pipes would do harm to him.

“Midagan ko sa babaw kay ila man ko gigukod mao nga nahadlok ko (I went up for fear because they were chasing me),” he said.

Derilo said he will check on the information that the guard is under paid which could have added to his situation. Rosaceña was brought to the Cebu City Medical Center after he was rescued but he refused to submit himself to a liquor test.

Rosaceña remains under custody of the IDMB. He will be charged for alarm and scandal.

—(FREEMAN)