‘Bullied by family,’ lass commits suicide

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)

Bullying by her own family allegedly drove a 17-year-old to take her own life.

The incident happened inside a stockroom of the victim’s aunt in a town in the third district of Iloilo.

The body of Inday (not her real name) was discovered around 7:00 a.m. of Nov. 19, 2019.

Police Major Ronnie Brillo, Pototan police chief, said that she was last seen alive around 6:00 a.m. when she cooked rice.

Her aunt claimed she appeared to be fine.

Inday was rushed to a hospital where she was declared dead on arrival.

Reports claimed that the victim’s aunt stood as her guardian. Her mother works abroad while her father works in another town.

The aunt claimed the victim appeared to be absent-minded prior to the incident.

But Brillo said some family members bullied the victim after they forced her to file a rape case against her boyfriend.

“We knew about it because our Women and Children’s Desk assisted in the filing of the case,” he said.

Brillo said the victim agreed to file the case despite resisting at first.

Her own family later agreed to drop the case for a P25,000 settlement.

From January until October, 2019, Iloilo province has recorded 70 suicide incidents.

The Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) already expressed alarm on rising suicide cases and called on other sectors of the society in helping address problems of depression and mental health, especially among the young people.

Since 2013, the World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD) is being observed every September 10 to promote awareness in a bid to provide worldwide commitment and action to prevent suicides, with various activities around the world.

In the Philippines, Republic Act 11036 (The Mental Health Law) was passed to address mental health and suicide incidents.

The law proposes a mental health policy that aims to enhance integrated mental health services, the promotion of mental health services, protection of people who use said services, and the establishment of a Philippine mental health council.