Man attempts suicide, causes blackout in Zambo City

ZAMBOANGA CITY--A city-wide power interruption hit this city Monday for almost two hours after a spurned young man climbed up a pylon of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) and attempted to commit suicide.

Police identified the young man as Joemarie Eugenio, 21, a fruit trader and a resident of Barangay Guisao, this city.

Investigation showed that Eugenio climbed the 50-foot pylon of the NGCP in Barangay Guisao and threatened to jump despite pleas from relatives.

Police said Eugenio and his girlfriend, a certain Jessica, a bakery assistant, quarreled on Sunday after she turned down his offer for marriage.

Jessica, who is from Liloy, Zamboanga del Norte, told the police that she is not yet ready to marry since she is still providing financial support to her family.

Search and Rescue Unit (SRU) personnel of the Zamboanga City Central Fire Station fetched Jessica from her workplace to Barangay Guisao since Eugenio demanded her presence.

Elizabeth Ladaga, NGCP regional corporate communication and public affairs officer, said the Zamboanga-Pitogo 138-kilovolt (KV) line was shut down at 10:26 a.m. to pave way for the safe rescue of Eugenio.

Ladaga said the emergency shutdown of the 138-KV line has caused a city-wide power interruption here.

Eugenio was safely rescued by two SRU personnel as Senior Insp. Nathaniel Alanano, Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Chaplain, managed to convince him to calm down.

Upon inspection, an empty plastic sachet of suspected shabu was recovered in one of the pockets of Eugenio.

Eugenio was taken to the Mindanao Central Sanitarium as his family decided to place him under medical treatment. (PNA)