Suspected drug pusher dies in hospital hours after hanging self

MANILA -- A 40-year-old suspected drug pusher died in the hospital 12 hours after allegedly hanging himself while detained inside a custodial facility of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Zamboanga City, an official said on Friday.

PDEA Director General Undersecretary Jose Gutierrez Jr. said that Melvin Loor, who was arrested by operatives of the PDEA Regional Office-Zamboanga Peninsula under Director Adzhar Albani on September 6 was found hanging inside his cell 10 hours later.

Around 10:40 a.m., Loor, the lone detainee that day, was about to be fetched by a PDEA agent for the procedural conduct of inventory.

But Gutierrez said he was seen hanging using the harness of his worn shorts tied around his neck, together with a suspended punching bag. PDEA agents immediately rushed the suspect to a nearest hospital for medical treatment.

Loor was successfully revived and was later transferred by ambulance to a government-owned hospital in Zamboanga City.

However, he was declared dead 12 hours later after succumbing to insufficiency of oxygen supply to the brain.

"Medical reports from the two hospitals where Loor was admitted show that he hanged himself inside the jail, which proved to be fatal thus causing his death. We are open for any investigation and will cooperate with authorities to help shed light on Loor’s death," Gutierrez said. (SDR/Sunnex)