2 heartbroken men climb billboards in suicide attempts

MANILA, Philippines—Two heartbroken men attempted to commit suicide in separate incidents in Metro Manila on Wednesday morning. In both incidents the two men climbed giant billboards, one in Magallanes, Makati City, and the other in Quezon City. Both of them were talked out of their deathly plans.

Ronald Terrederos, 30, climbed the billboard towering over 100 feet along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue in Magallanes across from Alphaland Southgate mall. Terrederos said he wanted to kill himself after his wife had left him five days before.

Police investigator Jose Aldrin de la Peña told reporters that Terrederos, 30, a native of Samar and residing in Sitio (settlement) De Asis in Bicutan, was working as a janitor in Azure building near SM Bicutan.

Refused by girlfriend

In the second incident, Lucien Junn Gacotano, 22, climbed a billboard in Quezon City and threatened to jump because his girlfriend refused to live in with him.

Gacotano climbed the billboard at 9 a.m. and was brought down around noon.

Gacotano’s cousin was brought in by authorities to reason with him and convince him to come down voluntarily.

Bureau of Fire Protection Superintendent Samuel Tadeo, Deputy District fire marshall for operations, said that Gacotano was heartbroken when his girlfried, identified only as Theresa, went back to her home province of Bacolod.

He also said that Gacotano suspected Theresa was cheating on him, prompting Gacotano to climb the billboard at the corner of Edsa and Congressional avenue and threaten to kill himself.

Edwardo Rodriguez of the barangay (village) public safety office (bpso) found the man’s bag near the gate of the building where the billboard was located.

In the bag they found his documents such as birth certificate, barangay clearance, SSS documents, cedula (residence certificate), NBI clearance, highschool diploma, etc.

Rodriguez said that there was a security guard at the gate but Gacotano managed to slip through.

Rodriguez also said that Gacotano also has a cellphone which he threw down from the billboard.

Based on the documents, Gacotano was found to have come from Agusan del Norte province in Mindanao and resides in Valenzuela City.

Onlookers made fun

Onlookers, vendors and passing motorists made fun of the incident.

“Gumagawa lang ng eksena! (He’s just making a scene)” a vendor joked.

An ice cream vendor who had a lot of customers because of the large group of onlookers shouted “Oi wag ka muna tumalon! (Hey, don’t jump yet!)”

Passing motorcyclists couldn’t refuse to comment saying “Nagpapahangin lang siguro (he was probably just getting some air.)”

A hearse that incidentally passed by was shouted at by several onlookers saying “antayin mo na (you should wait for this.)”

After the three-hour drama, another passing motorcyclist commented “natalo pusta ko (I lost the bet).”

Gacotano was brought to the Quezon City General Hospital for an immediate checkup because he was dehydrated, authorities said.

Originally posted: 10:12 am | Wednesday, September 11th, 2013

REACHING OUT Gacotano (right) reaches out to his cousin that was brought up to try and reason with him to come down peacefully. Gacotano climbed the billboard in QC and threatened to jump because his girlfriend refused to live in with him. MATIKAS SANTOS/INQUIRER.net