2-day Cebu drama ends as man descends from bridge’s column

A 44-hour drama in Cebu province finally came to an end Friday noon as a man who climbed a major bridge in Lapu-Lapu City finally decided to go down.

Radio dzBB's Cebu affiliate reported the man, initially identified as Jesse Molina, 20, was taken into police custody after climbing down a support column of the Marcelo Fernan Bridge that link Mactan Island and mainland Cebu.

The report said there was no initial sign of injury on Molina, who told police he climbed more than 60 feet because he wanted to jump to passing ships that were heading for his home province of Bukidnon in Mindanao.


He claimed he walked some 40 km from Carmen town in Cebu to Lapu-Lapu City where he climbed to the top of the bridge’s support column.

Molina also denied initial police assessments that he was deranged, saying he did not get down because he feared being arrested.

Since 4 p.m. Wednesday, Molina made a scene by staying at the top of the bridge’s column, braving the rains and refusing appeals from police to get down.

An earlier report said he even made a makeshift shelter at the top of the bridge to shield himself from the rain. He also waved to video cameras of news crews several feet below. — LBG, GMANews.TV