Kin of patient in Baguio hospital suicide seek NBI probe

BAGUIO, Philippines – Relatives of a patient who jumped to his death Monday from the third floor of the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center (BGHMC) want the National Bureau of Investigation to look into the case amid reports that it was the third time such incident happened at the hospital this year. Preliminary police reports say Ronald Ordoňo dela Cruz, 43, plunged to his death from the veranda of the third floor of the Sen. Juan Flavier building of the BGHMC. But the patient’s family refuse to believe Dela Cruz would commit suicide. The victim’s sister, Dolores de Vera, said her brother had asked forgiveness for his excessive drinking and promised to reform after his confinement five days ago. She admitted that her brother was suffering from alcohol withdrawal syndrome when he complained of a mild stroke and was rushed to the hospital. According to DelaCruz’s family, hospital staff asked the patient’s brother Pedro on Monday morning to fetch Dolores as she was the only one who could calm down the patient. Pedro was supposedly told that the staff would take care of the patient. When Dolores arrived at the hospital an hour later, the patient wasn’t in his room. A woman guard later found him sprawled and bloodied at the pavement three-stories below. Police investigators claimed that no one reportedly saw the patient went out of his room, headed to the veranda of the hospital and destroyed the glass window where he allegedly jumped. Dela Cruz’s mother, Norma said, said her family will file administrative charges against officials of the hospital for negligence. Records claim that there were already three similar incidents of alleged suicides at the hospital this year, but BGHMC refused to comment. BGHMC is one of the biggest hospitals in the Philippines. Like many other government-run hospitals across the country, it is always overcrowded. - GMANews.TV