Military spook turned junkie does a ‘Spider Man’ in Caloocan

Policemen and firefighters rescued a former military intelligence officer, dismissed from the service deteriorating into a mental case due to prolonged drug abuse, after he attempted to commit suicide by climbing for an electric post shortly after midnight in Caloocan City yesterday.

Former military Special Agent 1 Angelito de Ocampo, 40, of Palasinan, Cabiao, Nueva Ecija, created a scene at about 12:30 a.m. along 5th Avenue, between F. Roxas and Cordero streets in West Grace Park, when he was spotted by residents climbing the 30-meter electric post.

De Ocampo, who quickly earned the moniker "Spider Man" for his caper, was later rescued unharmed by trained police negotiators.

Although the incident happened in the wee hours of the morning, several dozens of tensed bystanders who crowded the area, watched him anxiously as he threatened to jump after reaching the top of the post. "We heard him say he was jumping to his death," a kibitzer, who refused to be identified, said.

Responding police and members of the rescue units arrived and convinced the man to come down. After one hour of negotiations, De Ocampo calmly embraced his rescuers who brought him down with the use of a firetruck hydraulic ladder.

After the man was seen going down, the gathered crowd started to cheer and shouted "Mabuhay si Spider Man." The crowd also applauded the rescuers for deftly handling the incident.

Further police investigation said De Ocampo was dismissed from the military service after he was found to be hooked on illegal drugs.