Bayan Muna seeks probe on death of Cavite curfew violator

Bayan Muna lawmakers have filed a resolution urging the House of Representatives to probe the death of a curfew violator allegedly due to excessive punishment in General Trias, Cavite.

In filing House Resolution 1697, Representatives Carlos Isagani Zarate, Eufemia Cullamat and Ferdinand Gaite said the Committee on Human Rights should look into the incident where the victim, Darren Peñaredondo, was allegedly forced to do around 300 rounds of a pumping exercise as punishment for violating the curfew.

Three days after he was apprehended and made to do the physical activity, Peñaredondo started having seizures and was rushed to a hospital where he eventually died.

According to Peñaredondo's live-in partner Reichelyn Balce, he had a heart disease.

The lawmakers said complaints against police abuse in this time of quarantine are no longer new.

"During the first few months of lockdown in March of last year, rights groups have raised concerns over unjust punishment used by police against quarantine violators," the lawmakers said.

"It is imperative for members of Congress, as representatives of our people, to defend the rights of our people and check on excesses and violations committed against them, especially in this time of crisis."

They stressed that "laws and rules should serve the interest of our people, and should not be weaponized to suppress their rights and oppress them."

On Wednesday, the Philippine National Police said the chief of police of General Trias and two other police officers have been relieved from their posts following Peñaredondo's death.

According to PNP spokesman Police Brigadier General Ildebrandi Usana, sworn affidavits of two other violators had disclosed that policemen made them do knee bender exercises as punishment for their curfew violation.

Usana said Cavite police chief Police Colonel Marlon Santos validated the information from the witnesses “that may probably be one of the preceding causes of the death of Peñaredondo.”

Police Lieutenant Colonel Marlo Solero, the relieved chief of police of General Trias, has since denied the allegation that they subjected the violators to physical exercise, adding that they were only made to do community service. —KBK, GMA News