Graduating student commits suicide

CEBU, Philippines – Another student was found dead in an apparent suicide yesterday afternoon in Lapu-Lapu City — a fourth in a spate of similar cases recently in Cebu.

Donna (not her real name), a 12-year-old graduating student in a public elementary school, took her life reportedly after an altercation with her mother over her coming home late from graduation rehearsals.

Owing to the nature of the case, The FREEMAN is withholding the names of the victim, her family and the school involved.

Senior Police Officer 2 Manolito Abellanosa, homicide investigator at the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office, told reporters that Donna used an improvised hammock made out of a flour sack, and then tied it around her neck.

The live-in partner of the minor's brother found her hanging lifeless at the second floor of their house past 1 p.m. yesterday, Abellanosa reported.

Donna's mother, who was immediately alerted after the discovery, rushed her daughter to Lapu-Lapu City District Hospital where the young girl was proclaimed dead on arrival.

Reprimanded

Initial police investigation showed that Donna's mother reprimanded her for coming home late on Monday.

Donna arrived home 9 p.m. that day, police said, when the graduation practice reportedly ended only in the afternoon.

This led to an argument between the mother and the daughter.

Another argument erupted between the two yesterday morning after the mother discovered that Donna stuffed her bag with clothes, apparently attempting to flee home.

Few hours later, the minor was found dead upstairs.

In their initial findings, police said they found no traces of physical abuse on the victim.

Mom's accounts

The mother described her daughter as an outgoing child who rarely informed her of her whereabouts whenever she would go out.

"Molaag man siya pero dili mananghid. Ako ra siyang giistoryahan, gidibdib tingali niya. Wala ko kahibaw nga nisaka siya sa taas," the mother told The FREEMAN over the phone yesterday.

Despite this, Donna, who was among a brood of 10 siblings, did good in her classes and was hard-working.

"Maayo man to bataa, wala'y hagbong sa klase ug kugihan siya. Practice naman lang sila ron. Nakahibaw na siguro ang mga maestra sa nahitabo kay duol ra man mi sa eskwelahan," the mother added.

She said during the incident, she was downstairs attending to her grandchild while her husband was out working in Liloan town as a plumber.

Donna was supposed to graduate this Friday.

Hers was the fourth incident recorded in Cebu this month involving students apparently ending their lives.

Two 15-year-old third year high school students from Daanbantayan town earlier committed suicide over school requirements.

After that, another high school student from the same town also chose to end his life after allegedly being caught stealing from his neighbor's house and reprimanded by his father.

In the three instances, the victims used ropes to hang themselves.