The Philippine Online Chronicles

Out of depression and longing for his family, an inmate at the Manila City Jail shot himself to death inside a jail guard's quarters Monday afternoon.

The victim, 30-year-old Aldrin Bautista, took Jail Officer 1 John Ancheta's .38 caliber revolver and shot himself in the mouth, according to Chief Insp. Erwin Margarejo Jr., head of the Manila Police District's homicide section.

Margarejo said Bautista went inside Ancheta's quarters at around 3:18 p.m. and told his fellow inmate Chuck Cortez to be his lookout and warn him if he saw the jail guard coming. The victim reportedly made frequent errands for the jail guards, and gained access to their barracks.

Minutes afterwards, a gunshot rang out from inside Ancheta's quarters. He tried to open the door but it was locked from the inside. When he managed to open the door, he found the bloodied Bautista clutching his gun to his chest.

Although the police had already ruled out foul play in Bautista's death, Margarejo said Ancheta agreed to undergo a paraffin test to prove that he did not fire the gun.

“He [Ancheta] did not bring his firearm with him because of the [Commission on Elections] gun ban but he left the revolver on his bed. He claimed he closed [his room] and did ot think that anyone would tinker with the gun,” said Margarejo in Ancheta's defense.

Bautista, a member of the Sigue-sigue Sputnik Gang, had been detained for three years on drug charges. He reportedly complained to some of his fellow detainees about “feeling depressed” inside the facility and wanting to be reunited with his family. Inmates had also heard him say “goodbye” to his father during one of their last phone conversations.

“Lagi niyang sinasabi sa akin na malapit na siyang maging tatay, at pinoproblema niya ang kahihinatnan ng kanyang mag-ina. (He was always worried about what would become of his wife and their unborn child.)” Cortez recalled.

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