Suicide dad charged with parricide

The 33-year-old man who jumped off a 30-foot footbridge on Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City with his one-year-old son last week has been found positive for drug use and charged with parricide before the court, police said yesterday.

Nestor Silang, who is still receiving treatment for injuries at the East Avenue Medical Center, has been held under police custody as the court recommended no bail for him for the death of his son Nestor. Jr.

Senior Superintendent Procopio Lipana told The Star that the drug test conducted on Silang came out last Tuesday. It confirmed reports that he was a drug dependent.

Silang was believed to be under the influence of an illegal substance during Friday’s suicide drama at the footbridge near the Sandiganbayan.

Silang, of Barangay Commonwealth, went up the footbridge at around 1 p.m. last Friday, carrying his son. He went to the edge of the overpass and occasionally dangled his son to the horror of bystanders. Among those in the crowd was the man’s live-in partner, Herminia Candia, 35.

The drama caused major traffic along Commonwealth Avenue. It came to a tragic end at around 2:40 p.m. when Silang jumped off the footbridge, seemed deliberately missing a rescue blanket intended to catch him and the boy.

Silang ended up breaking his legs.

The boy hit the ground, head first. He was declared dead on arrival at the Fairview General Hospital.

Initially, Candia said she did not intend to file a case against Silang. She later changed her mind. – Katherine Adraneda