Housewife, businessman commit suicide in Quezon City

MANILA, Philippines –  A housewife and a businessman killed themselves in separate incidents in Quezon City on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning.

Police Officer 2 Jogene Hernandez said Jelsa Sanoza-Pineda, 30, a resident of Ilocos Sur street in Barangay Bago Bantay, reportedly shot herself in the head Friday morning.

A relative of the victim’s husband, Jaime Aldrin Pineda, discovered Jelsa’s body in the master’s bedroom on the second floor of the house. The relative had gone up after hearing a gunshot coming from the room at around 10:30 a.m.

Jaime said Jelsa’s mother passed away earlier this year, and his wife mourned deeply. Last month, he said Jelsa was admitted to the Veterans Memorial Medical Center, where she was reportedly diagnosed as suffering from depression.

Hernandez said the victim sustained a gunshot wound in the left temple, with the bullet exiting through the right temple. Police recovered a .45 caliber Spartan pistol and a spent shell near the victim’s body.

In another part of Quezon City, businessman Gerald Tig­no, 31, reportedly jumped from the sixth floor of a condominium building in Barangay Bagong Lipunan before dawn yesterday. Tigno occupied a unit at the building.

The building’s maintenance man, Bryan Jader, told police he found Tigno’s body on the ground floor near the swimming pool at around 5:30 a.m.

The building’s security guards, however, refused entry to police investigator and said the victim’s mother, Dr. Rosario Tigno, allegedly signed a waiver, refusing police investigation of his death. They also said the body was removed from the scene without the presence and permission from police.

The victim’s family told police they are convinced there was no foul play involved in the incident.