AN EVACUEE who was reported to be suffering from trauma brought by Tropical Storm Sendong committed suicide Wednesday dawn at the Tent City 3 in Sitio Calaanan, Barangay Canitoan.
Jesus Noel Buenvenido, 42, a resident of Zone 7 Acacia in Barangay Carmen, was found dead lying inside his tent with a nylon tied around his neck.
Buenvenido has long been separated from his wife. He was staying in the tent with his 20-year-old daughter and a grandchild.
The victim reportedly displayed “unusual behavior” before he was found dead at around 7 a.m.
His sister-in-law said the night before he died, Buenvenido asked all the other survivors at the Tent City to “evacuate since the water is already high.”
“He said there were already many people and trees. He even dragged his grandchild who was sleeping, saying that they would evacuate,” the sister-in-law said.
The victim and his other relatives were transferred at the Tent City last February 11. They previously stayed at the West City Central School.
Zone 7 Acacia in Barangay Carmen was one of the areas in Cagayan de Oro that was badly hit by the flashflood in December.
As of press time, the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) is still conducting deeper investigations to determine whether the victim has committed suicide or not.
In January, another Sendong survivor committed suicide inside a room at the City Central School where he was staying with his family. Their reported exclusion from the list of those who will be transferred to the Tent City and the loss of his house and properties were allegedly the reason why he committed suicide.
Because of this, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in the region will reportedly expand and strengthen intervention activities to internally displaced persons (IDPs) living inside evacuation camps and temporary shelters starting Thursday.
Daisy Babiera, focal person for Camp Management and Coordination Cluster of DSWD, said the department will continue to conduct psycho-social activities and other therapeutic activities to the IDPs in close coordination with the Department of Health (DOH), the lead agency in conducting the activities.
Babiera stressed the importance of expanding and strengthening partnership between the DSWD and religious groups and other faith-based organizations in launching activities that will boost the spiritual status of IDPs.
“The victim (Buenvenido) was seemingly depressed of his present condition, having no means of living at present. Furthermore, the need to avail of psychiatric services may have been overlooked since he already had hallucinations of seeing scenarios associated to flashfloods the night before the incident,” she said.
Babiera said the DSWD provided counseling to the family of the victim on Wednesday while the City Social Welfare and Development Office also promised to extend help to defray the cost of funeral services.
The DSWD assures the public of its continued coordination with the IDPs in evacuation camps and temporary shelters to attend to their needs, not only on relief goods and shelter but also on their emotional conditions. (With reports from Oliver Badel Inodeo)
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