Bridge jump still haunts Lapu man

He’s back to living his usual routine in his home in barangay Babag, Lapu-Lapu City but there’s no sense of closure yet for 32-year-old bridge jumper Aniano Berdin.

The 32-year-old Berdin Jr., whose jump off the old Mandaue-Mactan bridge caused the death of spear fisher Danilo Sison last April 11, expressed remorse over his action and said he will apologize to Sison’s family.

“Nahadlok sad ko moadto kay basin hilabtan unya ko (But I’m scared to go because I might be harmed),” Berdin said.

He said Sison’s death was accidental because he never intended to crash into Sison in the waters below the bridge.

“I tried to take a swim because I felt different. I never planned to commit suicide,” Berdin said. At first appearing unkempt when he was caught by police, Berdin now sports short hair and has a distinctly clean-cut appearance.

He was caring for his grandmother Catalina Berdin in their house when Cebu Daily News met him. He was helping out his father Aniano Berdin Sr. who lives in a separate house at sitio Radar Barangay Babag, in his job at a firecrackers factory.

While admitting that he took drug before, Aniano said he already quit two years ago. He said he hasn’t been to any mental care institution and was hospitalized once due to illness.

Berdin was released from police detention last Apr. 16 after the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office found no probable cause to establish criminal liability on his part.

The fiscal’s resolution further states that committing suicide is not a crime and the person who attempted suicide is not liable for the acts or its consequences.

Maria Theresa Sison, the victim’s wife, said her family will discuss whether or not to file another case against Berdin./Correspondent Norman V. Mendoza