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Thursday, May 08, 2003
Bride-to-be jumps off hotel, survives
By Minerva B. Gerodias
A WOMAN jumped from the fifth floor of a downtown hotel in Cebu City after a brief confrontation with her American fiance yesterday afternoon.
Twenty-four-year-old Alma (not her real name) lost some teeth but she is now in stable condition in a private hospital.
Cable wires softened her landing, saving her from certain death.
Alma, who hails from Dalaguete, Cebu but temporarily resides on V. Rama Ave., was supposed to be married on May 17 to her 60-year-old Internet chatmate who came from Ohio, USA last May 3 to meet her.
They chatted on the Internet for seven months.
The American told SPO2 Juan Osmeña Jr. of the Homicide Section that they just came from a bank beside Mercedes Hotel along Pelaez St. to open a joint account.
At the bank, Richard (not his real name) noticed that the woman presented a college identification card as part of the documents required for the opening of their joint account.
When they went back to their room, Richard confronted her why she has the ID when she earlier told him she just finished grade six.
In the middle of the confrontation, somebody knocked, so Richard went out to check.
When he went back inside, Alma was no longer there. He immediately went down to check.
A member of the hotel staff said people outside informed them that somebody jumped off from one of the hotel windows.
She saw Richard and asked him what happened. He replied: “I don’t know because I was smoking at the lobby. I want her alive.”
She said the American was teary-eyed.
She said the two have been in their hotel since May 3 and they did not notice them quarreling. The couple’s room was also not in a state of disarray.
Richard, a businessman, told police that he is still willing to marry Alma as soon as she recovers.
He reportedly deposited a large amount of money at the hospital for Alma’s expenses.
Richard was brought to the Homicide Section yesterday for questioning. Police will also be coordinating with the Bureau of Immigration to check his background.
Yesterday was not the first time a guest jumped out of a room of the Mercedes Hotel.
In March 2000, Neil Ferdinand Oliva, the 26-year-old son of Cebu City Schools Superintendent Leonilo Oliva, jumped to his death from the fourth floor of the same hotel.
His reason for committing suicide was unknown, as his family was not cooperative with police during the investigation.
(May 8, 2003 issue)
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