Detainee tries suicide with agua oxigenada

CEBU, Philippines - A detainee tried to end his life by drinking a chemical compound last Thursday night inside his cell in Pinamungajan Police Station allegedly because he can always see the face of his neighbor whom he had allegedly killed.

Ahmed Nelmida, 26, an electrician who was jailed last September 6 for murder, survived his suicide attempt.

Senior Police Officer 2 Peter Cuanso Jr., Pinamungajan police investigator, said they first thought Nelmida drank muriatic acid.

However, when they checked the remaining liquid in the bottle Nelmida used, they found out that it was hydrogen peroxide, or more commonly known as agua oxigenada, which was given to him to treat a wound in his hand.

Nelmida allegedly drank the liquid around 8:30 p.m. when he was left alone because his co-inmate was cleaning their toilet bowl.

Cuanso said Nelmida was found with his mouth already foaming as a result of him drinking the liquid.  Nelmida was rushed to the Pinamungajan District Hospital and was later transferred to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City for further medical attention.

“Kung muriatic (acid) pa, perteng pataya gyud unta to,” said Cuanso.

He said that before Nelmida attempted to end his life, he tried to escape from the jail last Wednesday afternoon by breaking through the ceiling. A police officer, however, noticed him and he was admonished.

Cuanso said they have also observed that Nelmida had always been absentminded for days because of the murder case he was facing, which is non-bailable.

Nelmida allegedly also told his co-inmate once that he wanted to die because he can always see the face of his neighbor, who was his friend whom he stabbed dead because of grudge.

“Problemado na ni siya sa iyang kaso unya tan-aw nako, nakonsensya na ni siya kay amigo ra man pud to niya,” said Cuanso.

Nelmida is now recuperating at the hospital. — Ma. Fatima R. Secuya/RHM  (FREEMAN)