Billboard suicide try snarls MacArthur traffic

A man who threatened to jump off a 60-foot high billboard snarled traffic for several kilometers on opposite lanes of the MacArthur Highway for some five hours in Valenzuela City.

Valenzuela police chief Superintendent Billy Beltran said Nicanor Pulgado, 29, a construction worker, climbed the steel structure in Karuhatan and threatened to jump at around 7 a.m. yesterday after he was allegedly robbed of cash entrusted to him by friends.

Pulgado, whose trouser pockets appeared slashed, told police he lost his wallet containing the P15,000 given by his co-workers in Cavite.

The money was supposed to be delivered to their families in Olongapo.

Pulgado said he decided to climb the billboard because he didn’t know what to tell his friends.

The man said he also wanted to see his girlfriend, whom he failed to name. Pulgado also said he did not know her exact address in Valenzuela.

He took the train from Baclaran to Monumento last Saturday, but upon reaching the LRT terminal, he found his pockets torn and his wallet gone.

He then went to Valenzuela to meet his girlfriend.

Rescuers from the local police and fire stations tried to convince Pulgado to come down.

Only at around 12:15 p.m., or five hours later, did the man agree to come down.

He was quickly taken into custody by police and subjected to investigation at the police station.