Ormoc evacuee kills self over depression

CEBU, Philippines - An 18-year old woman has committed suicide two days after she arrived from Ormoc City at her aunt’s house in Sacred Heart Village in Barangay Gun-ob, Lapu-Lapu City Wednesday afternoon.

Akiera Mae Patalinghug was unresponsive when checked by Dr. Araceli Apura at the Lapu-Lapu City Hospital where she was rushed after she was found hanging inside the house past 3:00 p.m.

Patalinghug’s aunt, Carmelita Tampus, told the police that the victim was problematic when she and her live-in partner arrived last Monday from Ormoc City.

Tampus said that she learned from Patalinghug that their house in Ormoc was destroyed by typhoon Yolanda and she even lost her one year old daughter because of an illness.

Tampus added that when she arrived from the mall past 1:30 p.m., she looked for Patalinghug while doing the chores.

She continued her tasked thinking the victim was fine until her seven-year old granddaughter told her what happened.

Patalinghug was found by the girl hanging with a nylon rope looped around her neck.

Neighbors tried to rescue the victim by cutting the nylon rope and took her to the hospital.

Tampus disclosed that she noticed Patalinghug depressed since her live-in partner no longer went home last Tuesday.

The live-in partner tried to look for his relatives in Mandaue City but never came back since then.

“Mag-istorya man sila sa cellphone unya magsyinagitay, dunay kausa nihulga siya (Patalinghug) nga maghikog kung dili mupauli iyang live-in partner,” Tampus said in an interview over GMA-7 DySS.

Police found no indication of foul play in the body of the victim but the cadaver was subjected for an autopsy to determine the real cause of her death. (FREEMAN)