A year after bros’ suicide, gang leader also kills self

By: Jennifer P. Rendon

The Department of Health has established suicide prevention hotlines in the country. For those who need help, they could call 0917-899-8727 (USAP) and 0917-989-8727 (USAP).

A community gang leader in Sta. Barbara, Iloilo allegedly committed suicide evening of Dec. 12, 2019.

Police identified the victim as alias Adrian, 22, the leader of True Brown Style 13 (TBS 13) gang. He allegedly shot himself underneath a tree near their house in Barangay Lanag.

According to reports, the victim was last seen alive drinking liquor with around 15 friends from the TBS group.

He even sent messages to his girlfriend informing him that he will be gone.

Police Major Raymond Celoso, Sta. Barbara police chief, said the victim sounded like saying goodbye to his girlfriend with whom he had misunderstandings.

His friends also saw Adrian scrolling through the Facebook account of his elder brother Allen.

The victim’s friends claimed he was intently looking at his brother’s photo.

Incidentally, Allen also took his life a year ago. The area where he allegedly committed suicide was more or less 100 meters from where Allen also took his own life.

After a while, Adrian left the group. His friends thought he was just going to the restroom but they later heard gunfire.

When they checked, they saw Adrian‘s body slumped to the ground with blood dripping from his neck.

“Our investigation showed Adrian shot himself with a caliber .38 revolver on the neck,” Celoso said.

The victim died on the spot.

His friends claimed they saw tears on his face.

Members of the scene of the crime operatives (SOCO) recovered a homemade revolver loaded with ammunition in its cylinder and an empty shell near the victim’s body. How the empty shell was expelled from the revolver remains a mystery.

Meanwhile, his mother believed that Adrian indeed committed suicide as he insinuated in his Facebook posts that he will be gone.

The mother claimed Adrian also attempted to take his own life last year.

Celoso said there appears to be no sign of foul play in Adrian’s death but investigators have yet to rule on the motive.