Student hangs self after breakup

A Grade 10 student of Lapu-Lapu City Central High School (LCCHS) ended his life reportedly after his breakup with his girlfriend last Tuesday.

Following the incident, Mayor Paz Radaza instructed the guidance counselor of each school to monitor students who have a history of depression and suicidal attempts.

Radaza is reactivating the Junior Police, who are student leaders in their schools, to help monitor their schoolmates.

Past 3 a.m. last Tuesday, Reindel John Tampus, 18, was found by his father, Reinaldo, hanging from the ceiling in one of the rooms in their house.

Reinaldo told PO3 Reynaldo Arradaza of Lapu-Lapu Police Station 3 that he woke up and noticed that the lights in one of the rooms upstairs was still on.

When the father opened the room, he saw Reindel John and shouted for help, but his son was eventually declared dead.

According to Arradaza, a recent Facebook post of Reindel focused on his recent breakup with his girlfriend.

“The guidance counselor should look into the children with depression,” Radaza said in Cebuano.

The mayor said that about 4,000 students from 69 elementary, junior high schools and senior high schools will undergo a seminar as part of reactivating the Junior Police.

The role of the Junior Police is to regularly inspect and go on roving patrols in each school’s premises, help their co-students cross the street, and give advice to students who have problems.

The seminar will be conducted by officers of the Lapu-Lapu Police Office, Lapu-Lapu Traffic Police, Women and Children Protection Desk, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), City Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro) and a lawyer from the Department of Education (DepEd).

Radaza said the City Government will provide the uniforms and identification cards of the Junior Police members once the group is activated. /