CEBU, Philippines - A policeman who was complained for a number of indiscriminate firing incidents has once again hogged the limelight. But this time around, PO2 Al Ribo silently made his way to the headlines.
Ribo, who was assigned at MV Hechanocva Police Sub-Station in Jaro district, was found dead at the bathroom of their house in Barangay Bolilao, Mandurriao, Iloilo City around 7:45 p.m. of Tuesday.
His 10-year-old son found him with a leather belt tied around his neck and hanged to the bathroom's ceiling.
Ribo was alone when the incident happened. His wife, Rosita, and two children went to the beach.
Noon of that day, he went to the nearby house of his parents-in-law where he had his lunch.
His sister-in-law, Bing, claimed they were surprised when Ribo "asked for forgiveness for all the wrong he did."
Neighbors then saw him aimlessly walking in the area.
Around that time, Rosita said she received a text message from Ribo asking she kept his service firearm but she denied knowing where it was.
When the family arrived from the beach, it was deemed that Ribo had been already dead for around 6 to 8 hours.
Last August 2013, Ribo was arrested after he indiscriminately fired his gun. He had been involved in the same offense in the past years.
Neighbors and fellow policemen attested that Ribo was a "nice" person when sober but turned into a war freak when under the influence of liquor.
In a separate incident, a 20-year-old man also took his life in Barangay Amamaros, Pototan, Iloilo.
John Paul Samonte, a second year college student at the West Visayas State University-Pototan Campus, was found dead with a rope tied around his neck and hanged from the kitchen's ceiling.
His uncle, Joel Sabordo, saw his body around 6 a.m. yesterday. — (FREEMAN)