Cebu fisherman killed as bridge jumper lands on him

CEBU CITY, Philippines—A fisherman going about his business was killed Wednesday night when an apparently distraught man jumped off the First Mandaue-Mactan Bridge and landed on him.

The jumper, Aniano Berdin, 30, survived the fall with just a black eye and minor bruises.

He was detained at the Lapu-Lapu police station 3, pending filing of homicide charges for the death of Danilo Pinote Sison, 59.

Reporters tried to get a statement from Berdin but he refused to talk.

SP03 Rogelio Trinidad, Lapu-Lapu police investigator, said Berdin’s older brother told police that the suspect occasionally suffered from a nervous breakdown.

Berdin, the youngest of five siblings, took care of their 80-year-old grandmother, Trinidad said.

Berdin left his grandmother inside their home in  Barangay Babag II, Lapu-Lapu about 6 p.m.  Wednesday and went to the First Mandaue-Mactan Bridge, which connects mainland Cebu to Mactan.

Two hours later, he decided to jump.

Sison was spear-fishing below the bridge–which he did every night–when Berdin suddenly fell on him.

The fisherman suffered head injuries and was brought to the Mactan Doctors Hospital in Lapu-Lapu where physicians declared him dead on arrival.

Read more...