Car keys to lead police in identifying MRT suicide victim

MANILA, Philippines - The Makati Police is now scouring the vicinity of the Guadalupe Metro Rail Transit (MRT) 3 station for a parked Hyundai vehicle in the hopes of identifying the man who leapt to his death on Wednesday morning on the path of a northbound train from the station’s platform.

MRT-3 General Manager Al Vitangcol III told reporters the victim had no identification documents with him when he jumped to the tracks at 8:15 a.m. When scene of the crime investigators searched his body later, a key for a Hyundai vehicle was found inside his short pants pocket.

“A key for a Hyundai car was found in his pocket. The Makati Police is now searching the streets of Guadalupe for a Hyundai car that could belong to the victim and lead to his identification,” said Vitangcol.

Vitangcol told reporters that the man entered the Guadalupe MRT station and did not act suspiciously.

“He looked like an ordinary passenger as he entered the station with his ticket. At exactly 8:15 a.m., he leapt at the tracks and was pinned under it. He died instantly,” he said.

Vitangcol said the suicide managed to paralyze the MRT’s operation for almost two hours. The train’s operation returned to normal by 11:30 a.m.

Makati Police chief, Sr. Supt. Manuel Lukban confirmed that the incident was a suicide and that the victim was not pushed off the platform.

“Initial investigation shows that the victim was not pushed,” he said.

Lukban said the victim was wearing a sky blue T-shirt and is about 30 years old. The victim was pinned in between two coaches and was dragged some 30 meters by the train before it stopped, police said.

Lukban said the Makati Police would also be requesting a copy of a footage taken by a closed circuit television camera at the terminal from the MRT management to aid its probe of the suicide.

The mangled body of the victim was removed from the tracks at around 11:15 a.m. and was brought to the Veronica Memorial Chapel in Pasay City. (with Pauline Tome and Trish Lameyra)