Woman changes mind about jumping off bridge

CEBU, Philippines - Motorists and members of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) helped prevent a woman from jumping off the Mandaue-Mactan Bridge last Thursday evening.

The 20-year-old-woman, who resides at sitio Sudlon in barangay Maguikay, Mandaue City, works as a saleslady in one of the department stores in Lapu-Lapu City.

P/Insp. Joeson Parallag of SWAT said traffic built up on the bridge last Thursday night as motorists stopped to beg the woman who, at this time was crying and screaming, to change her mind.

The pleadings calmed her down and the SWAT team took her to the Women's and Children's desk at the Lapu-Lapu City police station.

The police later learned that the woman became despondent and wanted to commit suicide because she had learned that she was one month pregnant and that her live-in partner had not come home for two days now.

The woman is staying at the City Social Welfare Services and is undergoing counseling.

"Naabtan namo siya nga gitabangan og pugong sa mga motorista aron dili lagi molayat," Police Inspector Joeson Parallag of the SWAT said.

Women's Desk officer Editha Patalinjug in Lapu-Lapu City said the woman is pregnant and was staying with her live-in-partner before the incident.

The man is a resident of Daanbantanyan but temporarily residing in sitio Sudlon, barangay Maguikay, Mandaue City, she said. —Flor Z. Perolina and Garry B. Lao (THE FREEMAN)