'Depressed' seafarer commits suicide in Cebu

'Depressed' seafarer commits suicide
August 21, 2022 https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1938519/cebu/local-news/depressed-sea...

A 29-YEAR-OLD seafarer died after he shot himself in the mouth inside his house in Barangay Tapon in the southern town of Dalaguete, Cebu on Sunday afternoon, August 21, 2022.

Police Officer 2 Jem Vincent Pacaldo, investigating officer of the Dalaguete Police Station, identified the victim as Jefferson Cortes.

He said Cortes only returned home last Thursday, August 18, after disembarking from his ship.

Pacaldo told SunStar Cebu the incident happened around 1 p.m.

Based on initial investigation, the victim suffered from severe depression. Until now his family could not determine the reason behind it.

According to the victim’s sister, prior to the incident, his friends were waiting for him to reply as they had planned to go swimming. Since they could not contact the victim on his phone, the sister went to his room to call him. To her surprise, she saw her brother lying in a pool of blood.

The victim was rushed to the Ildefonso Alcantara Memorial Hospital in Barangay Poblacion, but he later died from his injuries, according to the report.

The victim was facing downward and he used a pillow to cover his face so nobody could hear the burst of gunfire, Pacaldo said.

Police recovered the gun used by the victim and an empty shell of a .9 mm pistol from the scene.

Pacaldo said they are asking for the family's permission to examine the contents of the victim’s phone to determine the reason behind his depression. (GDC)