Depressed woman climbs EDSA billboard
By Katherine Adraneda
The Philippine Star 11/30/2004
For failing to find a job, a 39-year-old woman attempted to end her life over the weekend by jumping from a billboard along EDSA in Quezon City.
Pinky Estacio, 39, of Paete, Laguna, landed safely on an airbag placed by a police rescue team. She only suffered a small cut in the right eyebrow.
Senior Superintendent Nicasio Radovan, director of the Central Police District (CPD), said the woman began climbing up the billboard located at the corner of East Avenue and EDSA at around 6:30 p.m. last Sunday.
Bystanders immediately called up Patrol 117. Officers from CPD-Station 10, led by its commander Superintendent Edgardo Pamittan and special rescue units of the police and local government rushed to the scene.
Police negotiators tried to convince Estacio to climb down.
After an hour, Estacio slipped from the 50-foot high billboard structure, but managed to cling to a railing. She repeatedly tried to climb back to the top.
However, after several futile attempts, she gave up and eventually fell and landed on the airbag.
She was taken to the East Avenue Medical Center for medical attention.
Estacio was the second woman to try and jump off a billboard at the corner of East Avenue and EDSA.
Last Nov. 2, Lourdes Ibag, 43, of Barangay Holy Spirit, caused a stir by threatening to jump.
Ibag claimed to have won a promotional contest for a food manufacturing, but was allegedly denied of her prize. She was turned over to the National Center for Mental Health by social workers of Quezon City.