. NEWS ROUNDUP .

2 workers die in separate incidents

CHRISTOPHER Cruz, an overseas worker just returned home in Barangay Concepcion II, Marikina City reportedly hanged himself for a still unknown reason inside his home.

Supt. Sotero Ramos, city police chief, said Cruz had recently returned from New Zealand and had been reportedly depressed for several days before the incident.

No suicide note was found when his body was discovered at 5 a.m. Tuesday. His family claimed to have no idea what drove him to take his own life.

In Taytay, Rizal, another worker identified as Albaser Kamsa, 37, of Barangay Sta. Ana was shot dead by two men at 11:30 a.m. yesterday along Sampaguita Street in Lupang Arenda.

Supt. Manuel Pion, Taytay police chief, said Kamsa who worked in construction was on his way home on a bicycle when the suspects blocked his way and shot him several times in the body.

Kamsa died on the spot.

His unidentified assailants fled the scene and are now the object of a police manhunt. – Christian Oineza

Boy kills self on birthday

BACOLOD CITY — An eight-year-old boy was reported by his mother to have hanged himself on his birthday Monday at their residence in B Barangay Banquerohan, Cadiz City, Negros Occidental.

The boy was declared dead at the Cadiz City Emergency Clinic, his mother Emee Valencia told the police.

Chief Insp. Jefferson Descallar, Cadiz police chief, however, said they are looking at the possibility of foul play due to the inconsistencies in the statements of the mother and witnesses.

The mother said her son used a belt to hang himself after she had locked him up inside his room to study his lessons. She admitted hitting the boy with a flash card. "He cried and I left him in our house while I visited a neighbor," she said. "When I got back, I found him hanging from a belt made of cloth in our kitchen. I never thought he would kill himself or I would not have left the house."

Emee, who is pregnant, and has two other children: Eric, 13, and Louie, 12.