The suicide count in the capital town of Virac this 2024 rose to seven (7) last week after a man burdened by family problems killed himself.
According to an official source who requested anonymity, the 24-year-old resident of barangay Sogod Tibgao hanged himself last week due to depression caused by family problems.
No other details on the incident were made available by municipal authorities or the police.
In barangay Hicming, the already stiff body of a man believed to have drowned a day earlier was recovered from a waterfall.
The Virac police station learned of the incident only on April 29, 2024 at 10:30 AM when Punong Barangay Jiann Panti requested its assistance on the matter.
Initial investigation disclosed that the day before at around 2 PM, John Paul Tubiera, 22, together with his friends Angelo Zafe, 24, and Ruby Villafuerte, 24, also of Hicming, as well as Balite residents known only as Princess and Andrea, went on an excursion to the waterfall and had a drinking spree.
At 5 PM when they decided to go home, they reportedly looked for Tubiera but failed to find him. Thinking that he already went ahead of them, they also decided to go home.
The following morning at 7 AM, April 29, the missing man’s family went to the residence of one of his companions to look for him.
Upon confirming that he was not there, they went to Hicming Falls to search for the victim and found his body submerged in the water.
The following day, April 30, at about 1:10 AM, a member of the Board of Directors of the Virac Water District and instructor at the Catanduanes State University’s College of Engineering and Architecture lost his life when his motorcycle hit a steel railing along the provincial road at barangay San Roque.
Architect Ethelbert Seguiran Resuello, 45, a resident of barangay Lanao who also headed the Catanduanes Association of Master Plumbers, died from severe injuries sustained during the accident.
According to the report, he came from a get-together with friends and had a few drinks at Buddy’s Mami House at barangay San Isidro Village before heading home on board his Kawasaki Barako 175cc motorcycle.
Footage taken from the barangay’s CCTV system showed his motorcycle traveling at a high speed while rounding the curve coming from the division office area.
Resuello overtook a slow-moving motorcycle, narrowly missing it, but inexplicably failed to make the slight turn as his vehicle ran straight off the lane towards the sidewalk and fell into the unpaved portion before its wheel hit the base of a steel railing.
The video shows both the vehicle and driver somersaulting into the air, with the victim flying feet up before crashing down on the concrete pavement, with his safety helmet landing about four meters away in the opposite lane. His motorcycle also hit a parked Toyota Fortuner.
The same footage also showed the driver of the motorcycle which Resuello overtook slowly passing by the fallen victim before driving away.
Another motorcycle soon arrived and stopped, with the driver most likely the one who reported the matter to authorities.
Responding personnel of the Virac MDRRMO brought him to the Eastern Bicol Medical Center where he was pronounced dead on arrival at 1:20 AM.
It was the second fatal accident to occur within a week.