A 34-YEAR-OLD person under police custody (PUPC) at the Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO) Station 1 in Barangay Centro died Saturday afternoon, November 11, 2023.
MCPO deputy city director for administration and spokesperson, Lieutenant
Colonel Franco Rudolf Oriol, said the inmate, a native of Barangay Tuyan in the City of Naga, southern Cebu, initially manifested symptoms of fever and difficulty in breathing, leading the police personnel in MCPO Station 1 to rush him to Mandaue City District Hospital on Saturday.
The inmate, however, was declared dead by the attending physician.
Oriol said they will conduct a comprehensive investigation to determine whether there was negligence on the part of the police on duty.
He said they are waiting for the inmate's autopsy result to determine his cause of death.
"We express our sincere condolences for the unfortunate demise of PUPC at Police Station 1 last Saturday afternoon. In response to this, a comprehensive investigation will be conducted to ascertain if there was any negligence on the part of the personnel on duty. Our commitment to transparency and accountability drives us to thoroughly examine the circumstances surrounding this incident. Subsequent to the investigation, we will formulate and implement necessary recommendations for both the Regional Headquarters and the local government unit, which will aim to enhance protocols and prevent the recurrence of such incidents in the future," said MCPO director Police Colonel Maribel Getigan in a statement.
Oriol said the PUPC was placed in the custodial facility of MCPO Station 1 on November 4, 2023, after he was arrested for violation of Section 11 of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. (HIC)