Troubled man, who pulled out knife inside modern jeep traveling along Marcelo Fernan bridge, arrested. | Mary Rose Sagarino
MANDAUE CITY, Philippines — A 46-year-old man, who claimed to be tired of his life because he did not have a wife, caused panic among modern jeep passengers when he pulled out a knife and ask that the vehicle stop in the middle of the Marcelo Fernan Bridge at past 10 a.m., today, December 28.
The man, however, did not harm anyone in the jeep but it gave the 10 passengers, the driver and the conductor a scare.
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Why troubled man did it
The troubled man was later arrested by Mandaue police who responded to from a call for assistance in the area.
The man did not resist arrest when police talked with him and apprehended him inside the bus.
When asked why he did what he did, the man from Barangay Mactan, Lapu-Lapu City said that he was tired of his life and of not having a partner in life.
The man said he wanted to end his life by jumping from the Marcelo Fernan Bridge and to use the knife to stab himself.
He said that he did not plan to hurt the passengers.
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Tired of life, of not having a wife
“Wala man sad sila (passengers) nagsamok-samok. Mga maayo man sad sila. Wala man koy ingun nga akoang kuanon (pasakitan) ang mga tawo,” he said.
(They also did not meddle with me, they are good people, and I did say that I will not (hurt) the people.)
“Kapoy nako sa akoang kinabuhi. Wala nako ganahe sa akoang kinabuhi,” he said.
(I am tired of my life. I don’t like my life.)
He also said that he was tired because he did not have a wife at his age.
“Kapoy nako sa akoang kinabuhi, sa akong edad ron gikapoy na gyud ko sa kinabuhi. Wala koy asawa mao na nga mao lang gihapon di ba?,” the troubled man said.
(I am so tired of life, at my age now, I am so tired of life. I have no wife that is why it is still the same right.)
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Passengers panicked when troubled man pulls out knife
But what the troubled man did scared the 10 passengers and caused them to panic. The children passengers started crying when the man pulled out a knife and ask the driver to stop the jeep in the middle of the bridge.
According to Isidro De La Cruz, the driver of the modern jeep with a Punta Engaño-Parkmall Route, the man boarded the jeep in Barangay Mactan, Lapu-Lapu City.
He seemed fine and even immediately paid his fare but when they reached the Marcelo Fernan Bridge in Mandaue Side at around 10 a.m, he told the driver to stop and that he would get off the bus because he would jump from the bridge, said Dela Cruz.
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Nobody gets off
He then pulled a kitchen knife, saying that no one should go outside. This caused a panic in the bus among the passengers and kids began to cry.
The driver said that the man, however, did not point the knife at the passengers and that he also did not ask money from them.
“Ingun siya nga ayaw mo panganaog ha. Anhi lang mo ha. Nikuha og kutsilyo, kalit lang gyud. Wala siya nanion,” said Dela Cruz.
(He said don’t get off. You stay here. (Then) he pulled out a knife, it was all so sudden. He did not point it to anybody.)
The driver, Dela Cruz, then immediately turned off the engine and hurriedly got out of the vehicle. He then asked a passing motorcycle driver to call the police.
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Conductor traumatized
Nemy Jurora, the conductor of the modern jeep, said that she was traumatized by the incident.
She said that even though the man did not hurt them she was very nervous especially since she carried the money.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Jovic Villarin, deputy city director for operations of the Mandaue City Police Office, said that when the police responded and arrived at the scene, he was still there seated alone inside the modern jeep.
The passengers managed to get off by then and the man did not stop them from leaving the jeep.
Villarin said that they were still discussing the case that will be filed against him.
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Police chief’s advice
Based on the initial investigation, he said that the man was likely not drunk and might have problems.
He advised the public, who would be experiencing problems to think it over, pray, and not involve other people.
“Di man ni malikayan nga life is full of problems. Og naay mga problema mas maayo nga mag-ampo ta sa Ginoo, nga lamdagan, nga makadesisyon ta og unsay angayan nga himuon,” said Villarin.
(You cannot escape that life is full of problems. If there are problems, it would be better if you pray to God, that you will be enlightened, that you can decide on what is the right thing to do.)
“[Di] Pareha ato nga makapurwesyo sa uban. Labi na karun hapit na new year, pasko pa karun, kung naay problema atoa lang sulbaron sa maayo nga pamaagi,” said Villarin.
([Not] like that [incident] where you caused trouble to others. Especially now that new year is near, it is still Christmas now. If there is a problem, we will solve it in the right way.)
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Those facing huge personal problems or experiencing extreme sadness can reach out to and call Tawag Paglaum Centro Bisaya if they need someone to talk to. Tawag Paglaum Centro Bisaya is a 24/7 call-based hotline for suicide prevention and emotional crisis intervention established in Cebu. Anyone in Central Visayas experiencing a mental disorder relapse or suicidal thoughts may reach the hotline at 0939-936-5433 or 0927-654-1629.