Inmate dies after ‘beaten’ black and blue
JUSTICE is the resounding call of family and friends of a 27-year-old man who died while in incarceration at the Balasan Police Station lock-up cell.
It only took hours since Antonio Bagohara of Brgy Brgy. Aranjuez, Balasan, Iloilo got arrested until he was proclaimed dead while behind bars.
The incident started when Bagohara was arrested Sunday evening at Poblacion, Balasan town.
A certain Ramon Obledo complained that the detainee waylaid and attempted to stab him.
According to reports, five policemen led by SPO1 Antonio Pastrana responded to arrest the suspect-turned-victim.
According to witness Nomar de Asis, before Bagobara was even brought to the police station, he already tasted the complainant’s wrath.
“Ginkulata sia ni Ramon,” de Asis told Ratsada.
Sources claimed that Obledo is known to have close association with some PNP members of Pototan.
Second Wave
The alleged physical beating on Bagohara did not end there.
When he reached the police station, another witness, Arnel de Asis, claimed that he saw fireman Allan Catalan mauling the victim in front of the Balasan cops.
After the investigation, it was only then that Bagohara was allegedly yielded with a knife.
A certain SPO1 Rufino Jordan was the duty investigator when the incident happened
Bagohara was then put in his prison cell
Thrid Wave
Arnel de Asis claimed that during the incident, Balasan PNP was celebrating their Christmas party.
He asserted to have seen Bagohara’s hapless condition.
“Nagakulob siya. Ang tiil niya may gapos. Indi lang ko ka identify kung ano ang gapos. Pero daw lapat siguro. Tapos ang kamot, nakabaklid tapos may gapos man. Ang baba, may busal,” Arnel claimed.
It was gathered that even Bagohara’s co-prisoners also physically maltreated him.
Pirsoner Edward Biboso admitted that his fellow detainees also mauled Bagohara.
“Nagbulid gid man sila. Pero ako ang nagkuga,” he admitted.
NO LIABILITY?
With Bagohara’s death in police custody, Balasan Police Station commander Insp. Ramon Coriana denied that his men physically abused the detainee.
He also brushed off allegations that they allowed Catalan to abuse the prisoner in front of them.
Instead, he pointed to the detainees, as the one responsible for Bagohara’s death.
“Indi man na namon siya da ginsulod para patyon. Kung ang ginpanulod da, ginpamatay, kundi damo-damo na nagkalamatay da,” Coriana reasoned out.
The Balasan PBNP chief believed that his men did not remiss on their job nor he has a command responsibility over what happened.
“Sa lapses nila, wala ko sang may nakita da. Perte abi kagahod sang natabo to,” he added.
Coriana also expressed readiness to face any investigation against them.
Justice
Bagohara’s parents, Antonio, Sr. and Elizabeth, could not help but blame the cops for what happened.
They claimed that they were informed of their son’s death Monday morning.
“Sin-o ang gwardya? Damo sila pero siling nila wala katalupangod,” the elder Bagohara claimed.
The policemen allegedly told him that it was so noisy that they did not hear what happened inside the detention cell.
But Antonio, Sr. insisted that it’s the cops’ duties to ensure the safety of all prisoners under their custody.
“Buligan lang kami nga matagaan hustisya,” was all Elizabeth said.
Meanwhile, Aranjuez Brgy. Capt. Praxedes de Asis attested that Bagohara has no record of wrongdoings in community.
The slain detainee used to work for her.
