A man suffering from mental health issues was rescued early Sunday after climbing a high-voltage Meralco electric post near Muntinlupa City Hall along the National Road in Putatan, causing a major traffic standstill in the area.

The incident began around 10 PM Saturday, 5 July, and lasted for about two hours, according to Muntinlupa Mayor Ruffy Biazon, who personally responded to the scene.

In a follow-up post at 1:21 AM, Biazon said the man had been successfully rescued but suffered serious injuries after coming into contact with high-tension wires.

“He sustained burns on about 30% of his body. The burns are not only on his skin but also internal, due to the high-voltage current that passed through him,” Biazon said in Filipino.

“The crowd was growing, and they were ignoring barangay police and PNP personnel asking them to move back. I had to step in and drive them away myself,” he added.

The injured man was initially brought to the Medical Center Muntinlupa for first aid but was later recommended for transfer to the Philippine General Hospital’s burn unit due to the severity of his injuries.

As of this writing, local authorities have not released the identity of the victim.