Lay minister found dead inside home

CEBU, Philippines - A demented lay minister was found dead inside his house in sitio Tambis, barangay Ibabao, Mandaue City last Sunday afternoon. 

According to police, Meliton Portado, 69, married and a lay minister of Christ the King Church in barangay Alang-alang, was living alone in his house in barangay Ibabao.

It was his daughter, Jasmie Portado, 35 of Canduman Housing, who came to visit him, discovered his lifeless body hanging in one of the railings of the stairs that leads to the second floor of their house.

Chief P/Insp.Ramil Morpos, of the police's homicide section, said basing on his daughter's statement, Meliton was depressed with the result of his check-up at the Mandaue City Hospital.

Morpos said that according to the daughter, Meliton could not accept that he had tuberculosis.

Meanwhile, a 24-year-old woman suffering from a nervous breakdown had threatened to end her life by jumping from a coconut tree last Sunday evening in barangay Tingub of the same city.

Mariafe Fordadora was found by a certain Stephen Lumapas was already at the top of a coconut tree, prompting him to immediately call the Casuntingan Police Station for assistance.

Lawmen came but it was her father, Feliciano who was able to convince her to go down using a firetruck ladder stationed in the area.