(UPDATED WITH CORRECTION) THE Pinamungajan Police Station will conduct a thorough investigation on the death of the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) chairman of Barangay Sacsac (not Barangay Tutay as earlier reported).
According to Police Major Gilfred Baroman, the chief of police in Pinamungajan, they have not yet been able to get a statement from the victim's family, as they are still grieving.
He said they are waiting for the family's emotions to settle before returning to their home to gather more information.
The victim was earlier discovered having difficulty breathing, allegedly after ingesting toilet bowl cleaner around 7 a.m. Thursday, May 22, 2025.
He was immediately rushed to the Pinamungajan District Hospital but was declared dead on arrival at 7:37 a.m. by the attending physician.
"With due respect lang pud sa family sa victim, dili pa gyud sila ka hatag og statement karong mga panahona tungod kay nag bangutan pa pud sila sa kalit nga kamatayon. Amo ra pud nga gi respeto," said Baroman.
(With due respect to the victim’s family, they are not yet ready to give a statement as they are still mourning the sudden death. We respect that.)
Baroman added that the victim’s cousin told investigators that the day before the incident, the victim posted on Facebook expressing sadness.
Although initial investigation found no signs of foul play, Baroman urged the family to consent to an autopsy to rule out any doubts regarding the cause of death.
“Wala ta mo discount sa possibility nga walay foul play. In fact, sige man ang amoang coordination time to time, nya ang investigator on case nakig-coordinate pud sa family. Aside from that, naghatag na pud mi og advice sa pamilya nga para ma erase ang doubt, atong ipa undergo og autopsy examination," added Baroman.
(We are not dismissing the possibility that there was no foul play. In fact, we are in constant coordination with the family, and the investigator on the case is also in touch with them. Aside from that, we have advised the family that the best way to erase any doubts is to undergo an autopsy examination.)
Barangay officials of Sacsac in Pinamungajan were shocked by what happened to their SK chairman, as they had not noticed any serious problems he may have been facing. (AYB)
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Editor's Note: The story was updated to correct the barangay mentioned -- from Barangay Tutay to Barangay Sacsac. Our apologies for the mistake.