Six officials of the Philippine National Police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) have been charged administratively and criminally before the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) in connection with the death of peasant leader Jose T. Canlas while he was in detention.

Canlas' children, Jenelle and Joseph, filed the complaint against PCol. Edwin C. Balles, chief of the CIDG Regional Field Unit (RFU) 3; PMaj. Alfredo F. Agbuya Jr., chief of the Investigation Branch of the CIDG-RFU 3; JailCSupt. Lyndon D. Torres, regional director of BJMP Regional Office 3; JailSupt. Rebecca Manalo-Tiguelo, warden of the Angeles District Jail Male Dormitory; SJO3 Caroline D. Sanchez, chief nurse of the Angeles City District Jail; and JO1 Ma. Christine C. Boucher, jail staff nurse of the Angeles City District Jail.

The children wanted the OMB to file before the Sandiganbayan criminal charges against the six PNP and BJMP officials for reckless imprudence resulting in homicide, and violations of Republic Act No. 11332, the amendatory law on the reporting of communicable disease.

On administrative charges, the complaint stated that the PNP and BJMP officials should be held guilty of grave misconduct, gross neglect of duty, gross ignorance of the law, inefficiency and incompetence in the performance of official duties, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.

Published reports stated that Canlas, a leader of the peasant organizations Alyansa ng mga Magbubukid sa Gitnang Luzon (AMGL) and the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), died last May 11 due to complications from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), which he reportedly acquired while in detention.

He was arrested on March 30 for alleged violations of Section 1 of Republic Act No. 9516 on illegal possession of firearms and Section 28(a) of RA 10591, the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.

He was detained for 15 days at the CIDG-RFU 3 detention cell at Camp Julian Olivas, San Fernando City, Pampanga, and was later transferred to the Angeles City District Jail (ACDJ) of the BJMP Region 3 last April 15.

Because of the pandemic, Canlas and around 100 other detainees were placed in a quarantine facility first to undergo a 14-day quarantine period. He was supposed to be in quarantine only until April 29, but he stayed for an additional eight days and was released only on May 7.

Canlas' children said in their complaint that they were worried because their father was undergoing medication for hypertension since 2013 and diabetes mellitus since 2017. He was supposed to have a medical check-up last April, they said.

They also said they were able to talk to their father once through a window inside the CIDG facility last April 6, but after that, all attempts to see him were thwarted.

They pointed out that during their visit, their father did not exhibit any symptoms of coronavirus but they expressed concern because they heard that some CIDG staff had been tested positive for COVID-19.

They said in their complaint that their mother received a text message stating that their father was unresponsive. But they were later informed that after being checked by the jail nurse, it was reported that his blood pressure seemed normal and there was no cause for worry.

After seeing their father through a video call, Canlas' children said they were alarmed because his physical appearance took a turn for the worse. They asked the jail personnel to take their father to the hospital.

But they said the jail nurse insisted that there was nothing wrong with Canlas and suggested that he just be administered with medical oxygen. That evening, jail officers finally agreed to take Canlas to the hospital, but they claimed this was several hours after he showed signs of fever.

Canlas passed away on May 11 at the Jose B. Lingad Memorial Regional Hospital in Pampanga.

The complainants lambasted the jail officials for being "frighteningly unresponsive" to their father's health condition. At the same time, they said their lawyer discovered that not all detainees were given swab tests for COVID-19 detection, so there was no way of knowing whether asymptomatic inmates were quarantined together with those who are not.

"There is no denying that the blatant, unconscionable neglect of duty gleaned from the series of events starting from the time of his detention at the CIDG RFU 3 in San Fernando City, Pampanga, until his commitment to the Angeles City District Jail of the BJMP Region 3 in Angeles City, Pampanga where he was quarantined," the complaint stated.