Wife seeks answers on husband's death inside QC custodial facility

The wife of an inmate at a Quezon City custodial facility sought answers to why her husband died a few days after being detained at the facility.

According to a “24 Oras” report on Tuesday, Allan Papa was arrested in a buy-bust operation last January 28. He was taken to the Holy Spirit Police Station 14 in Quezon City.

After nine days, he died due to septic shock, or a condition in which his blood pressure dropped due to infections and multiple non-healing wounds, according to his death certificate.

“Alam ko pong kung may kasalanan po yung asawa ko, okay lang po pagbayaran niya po kung ano ang dapat mangyari pero hindi ko po maaccept kasi yung nangyari po sa kanya nilabas po siya ng kulungan na ganoon na po,” Celesthial Papa, wife of Allan, appealed.

(I know my husband did wrong and he had to pay for his mistakes. However, I cannot accept what happened to him inside the jail with wounds on his body.)

Based on the photos shared by Allan’s family, multiple wounds can be seen on his arms and legs.

“Tumawag po ako sa police station wala po akong makuhang sagot,” Celesthial said.

(I called the police station but they refused to answer.)

Police Lieutenant Anthony Dacquel, chief of Holy Spirit Police Station 14-CIU, said Allan had difficulty breathing and was immediately brought to hospital.

“Nahihirapan daw po siyang huminga during noong time na yon. Tinawag naman po sa akin noong desk officer at pinadala naman po namin agad sa hospital,” Dacquel said.

(He said he had difficulty breathing during that time. The desk officer called me and we sent him to the hospital immediately.)

As to why the police could not explain what happened to Allan during that time, Dacquel said, “Ang pinagbabasehan din namin kung ano yung sasabihin ng doktor hindi rin po kami agad makapagsabi kung ano ang nangyari sa kanya.”

(We also base our answers on what the doctor says, we also cannot immediately answer what happened to him.)

“Kasi nga po nagkakapigsa sila dahil noong previous weeks na ‘to medyo mainit and under renovation pa kasi yung presinto kung saan sila nakadetain,” Dacquel added.

(The prisoners were getting boils because, in the previous weeks, it was hot here in the precinct and the jail was still under renovation.)

Dacquel said they asked the barangay center to look after the inmates who had boils, while they tried to finish the renovation of the custodial facility in their compound.

The Philippine National Police Internal Affairs service said it was also investigating the incident to ensure that no negligence occurred among the personnel. — Richa Noriega/DVM, GMA News