'Depressed' murder suspect hangs self in Janiuay jail

By Florence F. Hibionada

A murder suspect committed suicide while in detention at the Januiay lock-up cell. Using a streamer of a local fastfood chain to hang himself, the victim was identified by authorities as 54 year-old Rolando Acaja of Sitio Sumandig, Barangay Calmay, Januiay, Iloilo.

Reports bare that Acaja has had previous bouts of nervous breakdowns with his wife disclosing to radio reporters past suicide attempts. Experts said depression could have triggered this latest suicide.

The murder charge came following the June 11th incident that killed Jonathan Lorania, an in-law of the victim who was then the sole suspect. Jail guards and other inmates witnessed the night-long disturbance Acaja did late Thursday evening as he prevented police officers to enter his cell. One inmate was seriously hurt early on when hit by Acaja with a blunt object. It was then that authorities decided to put him in solitary confinement.

According to reports, he began getting violent thereafter and would throw anything to approaching officers while shielding himself with wood that had a protruding nail on it. Hours passed with Acaja yelling and still very physical at anybody who would make an attempt to help that later had Police Chief Inspector Rey Fuentes to throw a tear gas inside Acaja's cell.

Yet no amount of tear gas nor water hosed by fire officers stopped the violent inmate until about dawn of Friday when inmates finally heard him stop. By 7:00 a.m., police officers checked on Acaja and saw him hanging by the ceiling.