Detainee who tried to kill self with garter of underwear dies

CEBU, Philippines - While police were able to rush him to the hospital, the detainee who attempted to end his life by hanging himself with the use of the garter of his underwear died Tuesday afternoon.

Pricilo Ijurpe, 35, of Barangay Babag, Cebu City, was detained at the Mabolo Police Station on Sunday after he allegedly struck his neighbor with a piece of wood. But early morning on Tuesday, another detainee found Ijurpe hanging from the ceiling of the toilet.

Ijurpe tied the garter of his underwear around his neck.

He was rushed to the hospital and Senior Inspector Hartzel Bellido, chief of the Mabolo Police Station, said the detainee was already recuperating.

However, Bellido confirmed yesterday that the victim passed away at around 3 p.m. on Tuesday at the Cebu City Medical Center.

Bellido said they expected Ijurpe to live since he was still warm when he was found by his co-detainees and the responding officers of the Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation still felt his pulse.

Further, Bellido said they have preventive measures inside the detention cell where detainees are not allowed to bring sharp or elongated materials such as belts, clothes with long sleeves, among others, to prevent such instances. 

But Bellido said the underwear is part of a person’s privacy and is likely impossible to prohibit it inside detention cells.

He explained that they have no control on the will of their detainees if ever they would improvise materials that they would use to take their lives.

Chief Superintendent Prudencio Tom Bañas also backed Bellido, saying that even if they exert the needed efforts, there are still ways to kill one self inside the jail if the detainee really wants to.

“Pati ba naman yan papakialaman natin? Kasi iyang tao’ng gusto mag-suicide, wala tayong magagawa diyan,” said Bañas.

“You are only restricted by your imagination if you really want to commit suicide,” he added.

Bañas also said the jail guards of the Mabolo Police Station, who were on duty during the time of the suicide, do not have any liability on the death of Ijurpe since their main function is to prevent the detainees from escaping.

“Kung wala naman siya’ng kinalaman sa suicide, why would you hold him accountable? That’s not fair,” he said.

On the other hand, Bellido said they will intensify their monitoring of detainees and will try to decongest detention cells since congested cells may cause stress to the detainees. — (FREEMAN)