The inmate who died inside the Cebu City Jail had bruises in different parts of his body and swelling in his private part.

This was the finding of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) following an autopsy conducted on the remains of Fernando Prajes, essentially confirming the observation of Prajes' family when they saw his remains. 

Prajes was found unconscious on April 26, 2026 inside the jail. He did not make it to the hospital alive.

The death certificate showed sudden cardiac death acute coronary syndrome as cause of death but his family is not convinced.

Dr. Rene Cam, forensic examiner of NBI-CEVRO, shared photos that showed bruises on different parts of Prajes’ body.

His thighs, for example, have turned purple, which may indicate that he may have been hit by a blunt object strong enough that blood had accumulated. Cam likened this to the outcome when a body part is hit by a paddle during hazing.

“If blood accumulates on the thigh, mga 1,000 cc, meaning to say, it is not tolerable na sa body so it can already cause death,” Cam said.

The NBI also found defensive wounds like those on Prajes’ elbows, which may indicate he was trying to defend himself.

Cam said Prajes’ scrotum had also swelled.

“These injuries did not occur earlier. Meaning, this could have happened almost every day,” he said.

Cam said examination did not see anything wrong with Prajes’ heart but it is possible that the physical pain he may have been inflicted with took a toll on his heart.

The NBI will turn over the results of the autopsy to the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), which has opened its own investigation into Prajes’ death upon the request of the inmate’s family.

Prajes' family insisted he was still healthy when they visited him recently and had no health-related concerns.

Aside from the NBI and CHR, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), the agency that runs the prison, said it has also opened an investigation into the case. 

Prajes, who was accused of raping an 11-year-old girl in Barangay Kalunasan, Cebu City, was arrested on March 10, 2026 in Manila.