Marcelo Fernan Bridge. (CDN FILE PHOTO/ TONEE DESPOJO)
Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III said he doesn’t favor posting security guards at the Marcelo B. Fernan Bridge just to prevent suicide attempts there.
Davide said the presence of guards won’t stop people who are determined to kill themselves.
“They’re so depressed. They’re in a grueling emotional state and so we can’t really control them,” Davide said.
“What do we do? Develop a policy that whoever jumps off the bridge will be fined?” he told reporters during a press conference.
His comment was sought after a 36-year old woman died after jumping from the bridge last Thursday.
The Mandaue-Mactan Bridge Management Board is headed by the governor.
Davide said the provincial government is already paying for three personnel to monitor activities on the bridge but their function doesn’t include maintaining peace and order.
The bridge has been the site of several suicide attempts and successful ones in the past, but this hasn’t been taken up during bridge board meetings.
If security guards are posted on the bridge, their role should be to maintain peace and order, said the governor.
“I believe our bridges are safe. It’s just that there are those who attempt suicide,” he said.
“Even if we put our guards there, you can’t have them watching people all the time. One slight turn of the guard’s head and those who attempt suicide will take that as an opportunity to jump.”
The woman who jumped off the bridge last Thursday, a resident of Mandaue City, suffered from a nervous breakdown, according to police.
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