THE Commission on Human Rights (CHR) 7 plans to investigate the alleged mauling of an inmate by jail personnel when he attempted to escape from the Carcar City Jail last Tuesday.
Lawyer Arvin Odron, acting CHR 7 director, plans to convene their investigation section after seeing the leaked close-circuit television (CCTV) footage of the jail break that occurred in Carcar last Tuesday.
Reporters showed Odron the copy of the footage provided by an unknown source.
Odron said that while the use of force is allowed by the law, it can only be done in extreme and exceptional cases.
“It can only be done as a last resort but still maximum tolerance must always be observed,” Odron said.
Injured
He said that while he can’t make any conclusion until the matter is investigated, it is clear that unlawful force was employed, considering Gerson Dawat was already injured and on the ground when he was mauled by jail personnel.
Jail officers who were involved in mauling Dawat could face criminal and administrative charges, including violating Republic Act 9745 or the Anti-Torture Law.
Calls
Sun.Star Cebu tried to get the side of Carcar City Jail warden Rogelio Daligdig but all calls made to his cellular phone were left unanswered.
CCTV footage shows three guards mauling Dawat minutes after he attempted to escape from the Carcar City Jail.
Dawat, along with fellow inmates Rodelio Apura and Junard Ramos, attempted to bolt out of the jail by dousing one of the guards with water containing crushed hot chilis.
But while Apura and Ramos succeeded, Dawat failed because he was injured after jumping from the second floor of the jail.
Carcar City Mayor Nicepuro Apura said that while he has ordered jail personnel to secure the two escaped detainees, he does not tolerate torture within the city jail.