Scavenging boy jumps off building in Taguig, in serious condition

MANILA, Philippines—A boy who has been scavenging for garbage for a living was in serious condition after attempting to take his life by jumping off a five-story building in Taguig on Tuesday.

Senior Superintendent Tomas Apolinario, chief of the Taguig Police, identified the boy as Jomar Baldos, an 11-year-old out-of-school youth living in Sitio (settlement) Pinaglabanan, Phase 5, AFPOVAI Village in Western Bicutan, Taguig.

Apolinario said police were investigating how Baldos was able to climb to the top of the five-story PNG Building along Bayani Road in Western Bicutan, where he jumped off at about 8 a.m. on Tuesday.

“A security guard of a bank having office in the building said that he just found the boy on the top of the building, crying, and was about to jump,” he said.

The guard, along with the bank’s clients, shouted at Baldos and tried to stop him from jumping off. “However, he still jumped,” Apolinario said.

Baldos, who sustained severe head injuries in the fall, was rushed to the Philippine Army Hospital where he remained in critical condition as of Tuesday.

Police were still determining why the child tried to kill himself.

“According to the victim’s mother, prior to the incident, the boy, who was one of three children in their family, had an argument with his siblings over breakfast,” Apolinario said.