Kin see torture in 39-year-old drug suspect's death in police custody

The father of a 39-year-old drug suspect who died while in police custody believes that there are indications that police forces beat his son up before his death.

According to Emil Sumangil’s report on “24 Oras,” the Caloocan Police arrested construction worker Mateo, not his real name, after they supposedly caught him with illegal drugs on May 18.

Mateo has undergone inquest proceedings while his case has been filed.

On May 19, Mateo’s father visited him at the PCP6 of the Caloocan Police Station in Santa Quiteria.

“Kapirasong butas na lang po. Nagsesenyasan lang kami. Ang sabi, ‘daddy, daddy, wala akong droga. Hindi ako— wala’,” Mateo’s father said.

(There was only a small hole. We were just signing to each other. He said, ‘daddy, daddy, I don’t have any drugs. I didn’t— there’s nothing.)

Mateo’s father said he visited every day.

However, on May 21, he was unable to meet with his son because Mateo had been rushed to the hospital. Mateo had passed away when his father arrived.

According to his death certificate, Mateo’s cause of death was acute coronary syndrome and electrolyte imbalance.

His family, however, believes there was foul play involved, citing the diagnosis given by Mateo’s doctor.

“May mga damage ang katawan ng anak ko… ‘yung may dumagan sa dibdib at saka ang daming bugbog sa likod. ‘Yun ang sabi ng doktor. At saka may black eye dito,” he said.

(There are signs of damage to my son’s body. Someone pressed on his chest and his back are filled with bruises. This is what the doctor said. He also has a black eye.)

Meanwhile, the Caloocan Police denied the allegations.

“Nakaramdam siya ng [difficulty in] breathing on the 21st of May. And then eventually ‘yun nga ‘yung resulta na COVID suspect ‘yung appreciation ng doctor,” Caloocan chief Police Colonel Samuel Mina Jr. said.

(He experienced difficulty in breathing on May 21. And then, eventually, the results show that he’s a COVID suspect.)

“Even ‘yung station commander natin suggested sa family na ipa-autopsy. Eh, nag-decline naman ‘yung immediate family nung victim,” he added.

(Even our station commander suggested for the family to place the body under autopsy. But the immediate family of the victim declined.)

Mateo’s family seeks a deeper investigation into the death of their son. They have pleaded for help from PNP chief Police General Guillermo Eleazar.

“Akala ko ‘yung mga napapanood ko lang as TV na mga crime scenes o pangyayari, ngayon nangyari sa buhay ko. Parang hindi ako naniniwala na walang katarungan dahil may pulis tayong bago… tanungin ko si chief PNP, kung talagang strikta ka,” Mateo’s father said.

(The crime scenes I watched in TV is now happening to me. I can’t accept that there’s no justice because we have a new PNP chief… I’ll ask the chief PNP, if you’re truly strict.)

For his part, Mina said he was willing to explain to the family further.

“Ni-rule out natin na may foul play ‘to. Nato-torture siya. Kung gusto ng family na mabigyan ng mas malinaw na pananaw ‘yung pagkamatay nung family, open ‘yung opisina ko para tulungan sila,”

(We ruled out that there’s foul play involved, that he was tortured. If the family wants more clarity on the death of Mateo, my office is open so I could help them.)—Joahna Lei Casilao/LDF, GMA News