Ongpin last top official to take his life

The last former top government official to commit suicide was Jaime Ongpin. On December 7, 1987, he was found dead with a bullet wound in his head and a pistol in his hand.

Three months before, Ongpin, 49, had been the finance minister of president Corazon Aquino, but had been forced to resign because of his allegedly controversial and conservative economic policies.

His wife said he had been depressed about infighting in Aquino's cabinet and disappointed that the 'People Power' uprising which had toppled dictator Ferdinand Marcos had not brought significant change.