By Alexandria Dennise San Juan
Murder charges have also been filed to six more co-detainees of Genesis Argoncillo which were also tagged as suspects in mauling the 25-year-old victim inside the detention cell which eventually caused his death.
The Quezon City Police on Wednesday filed before the Quezon City Prosecutors Office a supplemental referral for murder against six more detainees who were identified in mauling Argoncillo known as "Tisoy" while inside the custodial facility of QCPD-Novaliches Police Station (PS-4).
The six other inmates tagged as suspects in the death of Tisoy were identified by the police as Anthony Lapid, detained for possession of drug paraphernalia and using illegal drugs last June 12; Anthony Tolentino, jailed for sale of illegal drugs last May 13; Raymart Guevarra, apprehended for concealing deadly weapon last February 12, Marlon Gandala, arrested for drug-related case last May 13, and Ericson Noriega, and Renato Dizon who were both nabbed for possession of illegal drugs last May 23.
Authorities said that the six men were further identified by their two fellow detainees, who have submitted a sworn statement and narrated to the police investigator how the suspects mauled Tisoy inside the lock-up cell at around 10:00 p.m. last June 18, the night before the victim died morning of June 19.
Based on the witnesses, the six suspects also mauled Tisoy after being irritated as he was always "running around like crazy."
One of them told the police that the suspects even put a piece of cloth in Tisoy's mouth to prevent him on making noise while being ganged up.
Investigators said that the accounts of the latest witnesses jive with the statements of previous witnesses who saw Sputnik Gang members Justine Mercado and Richard Bautista beating up Tisoy.
Last July 29, the Regional Trial Court Branch 100 in Quezon City has ordered the transfer of Mercado and Bautista to the QC Jail Male Dormitory in Kamuning after the QC prosecutor’s office found probable cause and recommended the filing of murder charges against them.
Superintendent Rodelio Marcelo, chief of QCPD-Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit, said that previous witnesses already mentioned that aside from Mercado and Bautista, there are still other suspects who beat Tisoy, but they failed to mention their names due to fear.
Meanwhile, Chief Superintendent Joselito Esquivel Jr. reiterated that the QCPD is objective and transparent in the investigation of Tisoy’s death.
"We would like to assure the public and the family of Tisoy that there is no cover-up in the case," he said.
Pending investigation on the case, nine police officers were ordered to be relieved from their posts including PS-4 Station Commander Superintendent Carlito Grijaldo; PS-4 Community Precinct 3 head Senior Inspector Cyril Dagusen; the three police officers who arrested Tisoy namely PO1 Ruel Tubat, PO1 Paulo Lopez Jr., and PO1 Paul Hector Calderon; duty Jailer PO3 Dennis Saño, Desk Officer SPO3 Ronald Nañola, Staff Duty Officer (SDO) Inspector Oliver Dela Cruz, and Shift Patrol Supervisor (SPS) SPO4 Valerio Perez.
Earlier police reports showed that 25-year-old Tisoy complained difficulty in breathing morning of June 19 before he was brought to the hospital where he died.
It was later found out that he was mauled during detention when his death certificate showed he died due to "multiple blunt force trauma in his neck, head, chest, and upper extremities."
Based on a blotter report from Novaliches Police Station entered on 3:30 a.m., June 16, Tisoy was arrested with certain Emerson Tano, Japhet Igloria, Jayson Manuel, and Rodolfo Longalong "while under influence of alcohol and creating trouble by shouting at the top of their voice and challenging anyone to a fistfight."
However, Tisoy's family maintained that he was apprehended just because he was shirtless.
Esquivel said that an administrative investigation against policemen involved is now being conducted by the National Police Commission.