Pagadian City – PSBank Assistant Operations Manager Nicanor Taquilid Montesclaros, 38 years old, married and a resident of Upper Labogon, Mandaue City was dead on arrival (DOA) at the Pagadian City Medical Center after he shot himself using a caliber .38 revolver at his right temple. The incident happened at about 8:00 o’clock in the morning on January 14, 2008.

“It was more or less 8:00 early morning, I was outside the bank when the Mr. Nicanor Montesclaros arrived and went inside the building. I was waiting outside with another female bank employee since we are not yet allowed to get insdie due to the time. We heard that the alarm inside was ringing and Mr. Montesclaros called the messenger to come inside the bank. He instructed the messenger to call and report to the Police Station that it was a false alarm. A few minutes later we heard a gun blast from inside the bank and we can see through the glass door Mr. Montesclaros lying on the floor near the entrance bathed in his own blood with a .38 caliber revolver already at the floor,” Rogelio Castodez Simbot, 36 years old, a security guard assigned at the said bank told this writer while at the Pagadian Medical Center.

Rogelio Simbot from DASIA Security Agency, Ozamiz Branch assigned at PSBank Pagadian Branch who brought the victim to the hospital also said that before the incident the cal.38 revolver owned by DASIA security agency was hidden inside the drawer of their table located at the right side of the entrance inside the building. This gun was issued to his co-security guard who was to report at 8:30 am.

“I was about to call the Police Station thru the telephone and I saw him (Montesclaros) holding the gun from the drawer but I did not see him shot himself. I was only shocked when I heard the gun went off and saw him at the floor with a gun shot wound at his head,” the messenger also told this writer.

“We have confirmed that the victim has committed suicide after we have reviewed the records of the surveillance camera and witnessed what the victim did while inside the PS Bank. He took a caliber .38 revolver from the guard's drawer and shot his head,” Police Inspector Rommel Etbew had just assumed as OIC Chief of Police (COP) of Pagadian City Police Station on Friday, January 11, 2008, told this writer when interviewed.

“Based in our initial investigation, the motive might be a personal problem because the victim has no questionable record as far as PSBank financial liabilities are concerned, but we have to conduct further investigation to find out if there are other angles behind his suicide,” COP Etbew added.

It was learned that Nicanor Montesclaros lives alone at his boarding house located at Cabrera Street, Gatas District. His wife with their two children is in Cebu. He has an aunt here in Pagadian City, Sally Bayobay, the younger sister of his father,  who told this writer that Nicanor is a silent type of a man, a religious guy, and belongs to a well to do family in Cebu, “I don’t know why he did this to his life, he did not tell me anything regarding any problem,” Sally said.

“Mr. Montesclaros will have served as our Assistant Operations Manager for a year this coming February 2008. Before his assignment here, he was with the PSBank Audit, Manila Division based in Cebu and later assigned in Manila and have trained there as Operations Manager, I was very surprised when I learned this incident,” Ms. Myra Gerona, PS Bank Pagadian Branch Manager told this writer.