Cousin identifies MRT-3 jumper

MANILA, Philippines - The man who killed himself by jumping to the path of a  Quezon City-bound Metro Rail Transit (MRT) train at the Guadalupe station in Makati City on Wednesday has been identified.

Makati Police chief Sr. Supt. Manuel Lukban said the victim was identified as Leo Manulna, 27, a native of Tabuk, Kalinga and a freelance photographer.

Lukban said the victim, who last stayed at a boarding house along Kalayaan Avenue in Barangay Pinagkaisahan, was identified by his cousin, Benancio Damugan, 57, an architect who went to see his remains Friday at the Veronica funeral parlor in Pasay City.

Police said the victim’s remains would be brought to Tabuk by his cousin.

Manulna, wearing a sky blue t-shirt and denim shorts jumped off the platform at about 8:15 a.m. and was pinned between two coaches. He was dragged some 30 meters by the train before it stopped, police said.

The suicide paralyzed the MRT’s operation for almost two hours. The train’s operation returned to normal by 11:30 a.m.

Lukban confirmed that the incident was a suicide and that the victim was not pushed off the platform.

“Initial investigation shows that the victim was not pushed,” he said. Police said Manulna was having personal problems when he committed suicide.

Meanwhile, Makati Police said the victim’s family is still looking for the match to the Hyundai car key found in one of the victim’s pants pockets at the time of his death. - with Pauline Tome