Man climbs tower for suicide-try

CEBU, Philippines - A 19-year-old man tried to commit suicide by climbing the power transmission tower early morning yesterday in Barangay Talavera, Toledo City.

Rocky James Codino was later rescued by the police after his 17-year-old live-in partner helped in convincing him to go down.

The police has suspected that Codino was under the influence of illegal drugs as alleged by informants when he climbed the tower.

A transmission tower is a tall structure, usually a steel lattice tower, used to support an overhead power line. They are used in high-voltage AC and DC systems, and come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Typical height ranges from 15 to 55 meters (49 to 180 ft).

Codino and his live-in partner reportedly had a verbal tussle Wednesday evening regarding financial problem which prompted the latter to leave and went to Naga City.

“Naguol gyud ni siya nga gibiyaan sa kapuyo kay wala man gyud ni maminaw namo nga sige mi’g negotiate nga munaog na siya,” Toledo City police head, Chief Insp. Michael Anthony Bastes, said.

The scene of Codino atop the tower drew residents and motorists’ attention which caused slight road congestion as the tower is also located few meters away from Talavera Elementary School.

Police even held the traffic for 10 to 15 minutes.

Bastes has been negotiating Codino for more than two hours before the live-in partner arrived and asked him to go down.

“Nagpasugo na lang ko’g habal-habal bahala nag maka-plete ko’g P500 para lang maabot ang kapuyo,” Bastes said.

In a separate interview, the live-in partner admitted having argument with Codino before she left but she did not expect him trying to end his life.

“Sa kataas ato gamay nga ligas di gyud siya mabuhi kay lawom kaayo pero wala ko kahibalo nga maabot sa ingon ato among lalis,” she said.

Codino was referred by the municipal physician to the psychiatric ward of the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City for medical check-up.

Bastes said that if medical examination result of Codino would show no sign of being mentally-ill, then they will file alarm and scandal charges against him.  (FREEMAN)