The national police command has relieved from their posts a station commander and eight other police officers in Quezon City after a man, jailed for violating a city ordinance, died in their custody.
The National Capital Region Police Office said Monday the nine policemen failed to stop other detainees from beating to death Genesis “Tisoy” Argoncillo who, according to the Quezon City police, was mauled by fellow inmates.
NCRPO director Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar said the officers would face administrative charges and might be suspended or dismissed from service.
“Today, all evidence points out that he was mauled. We have filed murder cases against two co-detainees,” Eleazar told radio dzMM.
Argoncillo’s now alleged beating was in stark contrast to the Quezon City Police District’s earlier claim Argoncillo might have died from suffocation and the police station commander’s separate allegation that his death was “self-inflicted.”
Police arrested Argoncillo amid an intensified campaign to enforce local ordinances.
This was after President Rodrigo Duterte ordered law enforcers to be strict against loiterers, whom he dubbed as potential trouble makers for public.
Authorities have accosted 26,792 violators of local laws since June 13.
Nearly 14,000 of those arrested were given warnings while only 4,000 were charged, according to police.
