Police doctor dies after 'inhaling' chemical in quarantine facility

A police doctor died after supposedly inhaling a chemical while at a quarantine facility, Philippine National Police spokesman Bernard Banac said Sunday.

Interviewed on Dobol B sa News TV, Banac said the incident is being investigated by PNP's Health Service to avoid similar incident from happening again. 

“Nakatanggap na tayo ng inisyal ulat na amy kasama tayong police doctor na binawian ng buhay na aksidenteng nakalanghap ng chemical sa quarantine facility,” he said.

In a Facebook post, the wife of Police Captain Casey Gutierrez,  Shella Distor, said the police doctor who was designated at the quarantine facility at Ultra has died due to due to toxic inhalation injury.

According to Shella, after Gutierrez died, more medical staff of the quarantine facility at Ultra had experienced the same incident.

“Namatay na siya, naulit pa ulit sa ibang medical staff of the same facility—a day after he died. That adds more salt to the injury!” she said.

“Akala ko eye opener na sa inyo (ang) nangyari kay Casey, you did not learn. Kawawa mga doctor, nurses, and swabbers sa ginagawa niyo! Ang tigas niyo! Ang tibay ng sikmura niyo!” she added.

“We got three kids who are 5 years old, 4 years old, and 5 months old. It’s traumatic for me, how much more for them,” Shella lamented.

In behalf of the PNP, Banac extended condolences to the family of Gutierrez.

As of posting time, GMA News Online was trying to contact Banac for an initial police report on the incident. —LBG, GMA News