Inmate stabs self inside detention cell

CEBU, Philippines - An inmate of Consolacion Police Station tried to commit suicide yesterday morning because he was hurt that his own family had him jailed.

Nicodemus Suarez, 46, a construction worker of Cabangahan, Consolacion town stabbed himself with an 8-inch knife in front of his 19-year-old son who was visiting him.

Suarez reportedly stabbed himself on the upper right side of his chest at 11:12 a.m. inside the detention cell.

The police reportedly heard shouting from their detention cell and upon checking they saw Suarez slumped on the floor and bloodied, with the knife protruding from his upper chest.

Suarez reportedly removed the knife from his own chest while his son, who was in front of him shouted for help.

He was rushed to Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center for medical attention.

In an interview over radio station dyRC, Insp. Wilbert Parilla said the victim was hurt that his own family wanted him jailed for threatening them on Wednesday.  

Suarez was detained for threatening his family and violating Republic Act 9262 otherwise known as the Anti-violence against women and children law.

This, after Suarez threatened his wife and three of their children that they might share the same fate with the Ponce family in Talisay City where the father killed his wife, three children and their house helper on Sunday.

Parilla said the wife told them that Nicodemus even fired his gun and threatened them.

“Nakadungog mo atong gi-masaker sa Talisay? Basig kamoy ikaduha.” Nicodemus allegedly told his family.

The next day, Suarez reportedly told his family they will all die that day like the Talisay massacre.

This prompted his family to report the incident to the police who apprehended Nicodemus a few meters outside their residence. Parilla said they received reports that Nicodemus was “barkadista” and a drug user.

His wife was the one who led the police to Nicodemus’ secret stash of marijuana in a shed near their residence and told them that her husband uses illegal drugs.

Police are still investigating how the knife was sneaked into the detention cell because they made Suarez remove his things before locking him behind bars.

The police are now searching for the victim’s friend who visited him on Wednesday evening.

Authorities suspect that it was Suarez’ friend who brought the knife which Suarez used to stab himself.

“Posible kadto siya (Suarez friend) ang nagpalusot ato kagabii,” Parilla said.Parilla said Suarez may have tried to commit suicide so that his wife and children will not continue to press charges against him. He pointed out that Parilla being right-handed would have stabbed the left part of his chest.

“Makaduda sad kay kung gusto gyud to siya mamatay, sa left gyud unta to. Kiwaw man gud to nga pagkadunggab kay sa upper right side man nya pagbitad niya sa kutsilyo niingon pa “O, Diyos ko!,” Parilla said.

However, the suspect’s wife insists that they will continue their complaint against her husband because it was not the first time that he threatened their family. (FREEMAN)

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