Two women in Tondo, Manila committed suicide a day apart by drinking silver cleaning solution, police records showed.
On Thursday morning, the body of Shiela Vicouerra, 23, was discovered inside her room in Raxabago, Tondo. An empty bottle of silver cleaning solution was found beside her body.
In her suicide note, Vicouerra expressed her love for her live-in partner and their son, but alleged that her in-laws treated her badly. She also mentioned suffering from a lump on her neck. She requested that her wake be held at her parents’ house.
On Friday afternoon, Mary Anne Bacani, 22, of Gagalangin, Tondo, allegedly also drank silver cleaning solution after being depressed over the death of her husband two weeks ago.
Bacani’s relatives told police that since the death of her husband, she was seen keeping a bottle of the silver cleaning solution, which she threatened to drink to end her misery. Her relatives reportedly ignored her threats.
At around 3:30 p.m. a relative looked in Bacani’s room after she did not come out for quite some time. The relative discovered her unconscious and her mouth frothing. She was still holding a bottle of the cleaning solution.
Bacani was rushed to the Tondo Medical Center but was declared dead on arrival.
Homicide investigators noted an increasing number of suicide attempts using the silver cleaning solution.
A veteran investigator believes the victims prefer the solution due to its lethal effect and its low price – a 30-milliliter bottle can be bought for P15.
“I think our legislators should enact laws to regulate the sale of toxic substances, especially those being advertised as cleaning solution,” said Manila Police District’s homicide section head, Chief Inspector Dominador Arevalo Jr.