Family of alleged suicide victim cries foul, asks NBI for help

The family of a 20-year-old apprentice who allegedly jumped off his vessel offshore Japan last December 30 sought the help of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to determine the authenticity of the alleged suicide note left by the victim.

Vincent Hidalgo Datayan on Friday said he believes that his son, Simon Vincent II, did not commit suicide and that there was foul play behind the death of his son who was deck cadet of the M/V Corona Infinity.

The elder Datayan said reports reaching them said that his son jumped out from the rear portion of the vessel off Japan Sea at 3 a.m. of December 30 and that he left suicide note in his cabin.

Since jumping ship, the victim’s body has yet to be recovered.

The family of Simon Vincent said they are set to submit the suicide note and other handwriting specimen of the younger Datayan to NBI – Questioned Documents Division (QDD) to determine the authenticity of the suicide note.

“I believe that my son did not comment suicide. There is discrepancy in the handwriting and the signature of the suicide note as compared to the real handwriting of my son," Datayan said.

Datayan also said they last talked to his son last December 28. “He called up and he was so happy telling us that he will be promoted," he said.

Simon Vincent, second child, boarded the MV Corona Infinity, a bulk carrier with Japan-Australia route August 2007. “He boarded there as an apprentice. He needs that so he can graduate for his course Bachelor of Science and Maritime Transportation at the Capitol University in Cagayan de Oro City. He was given a monthly allowance of $235. I always asked him about his condition and he always told us, ‘Not to worry Papa, I’m okay,’" he said.

Reports reaching the family showed that Simon Vincent was reprimanded by his captain. The captain asked for the meeting but he did not show up. “The captain asked his staff to look for him and then the wiper saw him at the rear portion of the vessel. Using a flashlight, the unnamed wiper called him and he was shocked to see him suddenly jumping into the water," the father said.

The family said they are also seeking help of Vice President Noli de Castro to help resolve the case. - GMANews.TV

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

PCG: China’s bullying in West Philippine Sea undermines international law --- Ghio Ong - The Philippine Star

MANILA, Philippines — Letting China sustain its aggression in the West Philippine Sea would make other countries doubt the strength of international law currently being asserted by the Philippines, Commodore Jay Tarriela of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said. “Allowing China to blatantly disregard the established rules-based order threatens the very foundation that we all depend on,” he wrote in a post on X last Tuesday. He added, “If we permit this, countries worldwide may forget why this order was created in the first place. Nations could begin to doubt the significance of adhering to international law if powerful bullies can easily violate it.” Tarriela also said defiance of other countries to a rules-based order would result in the prevalence of cruelty. He wrote, “This could lead us back to a time when might makes right, undermining the global structures that keep human greed, savagery and barbarism in check. Such a scenario would not only invite challenges from aggressive ...
Read more

China ships maintain presence in key West Philippine Sea areas --- Michael Punongbayan - The Philippine Star

STAR / Michael Varcas MANILA, Philippines — While Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) have decreased in number, they have maintained a presence in three key land features where naval and coast guard ships have intensified operations in the past seven days, according to the Philippine Navy. Latest monitoring by the Philippine Navy showed armed ships of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) maintaining a menacing presence around the grounded BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal, Panatag Shoal and Escoda Shoal. According to the Philippine Navy, there are 17 Chinese military vessels and 28 China Coast Guard (CCG) boats spotted inside the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) between Sept. 23 and 30, or one vessel more than in the previous week Sept.17-23. Five of the warships were seen roaming around the vicinity of Escoda Shoal, along with 10 CCG vessels and 12 maritime militia vessels (MMVs). There are also two PLAN ships in Ayungin Shoal as well as 10 CCG boats and 12...
Read more

Social media seen as cause of rising intermarriages --- Helen Flores - The Philippine Star

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) sees social media as the main reason for the rising number of Filipinos marrying or becoming partners of foreign nationals. In 2022, the CFO recorded 6,854 marriages or partnerships with foreign nationals, a 40.1 percent increase from the 4,891 “intermarriages” recorded in 2021. “First of all, what we see in the increase in the marriage rate of Filipinos or Filipinos with foreign partners is because of social media, (that) is number one; matchings; letters, introduction of their friends,” CFO chairperson Romulo Arugay said at the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon public briefing yesterday. Arugay said the agency has been registering a high number of intermarriages since 2007, but the figures went down during the COVID-19 pandemic. From over 6,500 Filipinos who married foreign nationals, only 600 are men, he said. Most of them are married to Americans, Japanese, Germans, Canadians and Australians, Arugay said. Arugay warned Fi...
Read more