‘Tambay’ dies in cell because of ‘shortness of breath’–police
A MAN who was arrested during the “anti-tambay” (loiterer) campaign in Novaliches died while under police custody although authorities were quick to attribute the cause of his death to “difficulty of breathing.”
Quezon City Police District Chief Joselito Esquivel said Genesis Argoncillo alias “Tisoy”, 22, was arrested on June 15 for “alarm and scandal” and was detained at the Novaliches police Station 4.
On Tuesday, Argoncillo complained of shortness of breath at 5 a.m. inside his cell.
Argoncillo was brought to the Novaliches District Hospital but was later pronounced dead.
Esquivel said Argoncillo showed no signs of external injuries.
“We would like to make it clear there was no violent and inhumane treatment on Argoncillo contrary to the allegations of the family, citing a supposed broken rib and bruise marks on the cadaver. These are mere conjectures until an autopsy is performed,” the QCPD chief said.
However, Argoncillo’s family claimed that he was beaten inside his cell, as shown by the bruises and cuts on his body.
“Puro pasa ang katawan niya pati bunganga niya. Hindi naman siya kriminal pero kinawawa nila ‘yung kapatid ko, (There were bruises all over his body and even in his mouth. My brother was not a criminal but he was abused)” said Marilou, the elder sister of Argoncillo.
In a public post on Facebook, Argoncillo’s sister recounted the events since June 15, the day of her brother’s arrest.
“At 9 p.m. on June 15, authorities arrested my brother while he was on his cellphone. Yes, he was half-naked but he was not even on the street, he was just in front of a store a few steps from our house. I thought the police will only get his name and statement because it was just his first offense after all, but he was still taken to the precinct,” the post read in Filipino.
“The morning after, I brought food for him because the condition there was really bad—very congested and there was a very foul smell. The people there cannot even sleep nor sit. The shirt that my brother wore was pulled off and he told me he was beaten up inside,” Marilou said.
She added that she even gave money to the “mayores” (cell group leaders) so that they would not hurt her brother.
Argoncillo was the fifth detainee who died under the custody of Novaliches police in less than a month, but QCPD maintained that they all initially complained of “shortness of breathing.”
Before the anti-tambay campaign, four others died from May 29 to June 4.
Jeffrey Norio, who was arrested on May 16 for illegal gambling, died on May 29 and Niño Cruz, who was arrested for physical injury and unjust vexation on May 19, died three days after.
Paulo Lopez who was arrested for estafa died on June 4 and Alex Andaman, who was arrested for illegal gambling, died on June 18.
“Ang limang [detainees]na nasawi sa nakalipas na mga araw, base sa report na naiulat, ay pare-pareho na nahirapang huminga sa loob ng selda at agad na dinala sa ospital (The five detainees who died in the past days, basing on reports, all complained of shortness of breath inside the cell and were immediately rushed to the hospital),” Esquivel said.
The QCPD admitted that congestion remained a serious problem in their custodial facilities. It added that the Novaliches police station alone housed 138 detainees supposedly meant for only six people.
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