A man who lost ₱15,000 in a cockfight attempted suicide by running in front of a truck and later jumping off Mabolo Bridge in Naga City.
The victim, identified as a resident of Camaligan, Camarines Sur, was estimated to be between 35 and 40 years old.
In an interview with Bombo Radyo Naga, Arthur Matos, the Barangay Captain of Mabolo, said that the man had come from a cockfight and lost a significant bet.
Upon arriving at the area, a barangay tanod reported that the man initially attempted to get run over by a truck, but when that failed, he ran towards Mabolo Bridge and jumped.
Bystanders at the scene immediately responded and rescued the man from the water, though he remained uncommunicative after being pulled out.
Police and city rescue personnel swiftly arrived and took the victim to the hospital for treatment.
According to Rudel Beringuela, a companion of the victim, they were supposed to collect money from the victim’s house to pay off his ₱15,000 gambling debt, but instead, he ran into the road to be hit by the truck, and moments later, he rushed to the bridge and jumped.
There have been several similar incidents reported at Mabolo Bridge, with a series of jump-related deaths recorded last year.
The bridge is known to be wide and deep, with broken posts underneath, which have contributed to fatalities among those who have jumped.
The local council is pushing for funding to install safety barriers on the bridge to prevent future incidents.