2 security agencies face probe over death

POLICE Regional Office 7 Director Marcelo Garbo Jr. yesterday said they will investigate two security agencies, whose guards were accused of mauling to death a suspected shoplifter inside the Metro Gaisano on Colon St., Cebu City. He ordered Supt. Rex Derilo of the Firearms, Explosives, Security Agencies and Guards Supervisory Section 7 to look into the possible liabilities of Golden Sun Security Agency and Negrense Security Agency in the death of 23-year-old Mario Alfie Ducayag. “I have directed Derilo to look into it and assist whatever we can help in the investigation,” Garbo said during a press briefing. The fact that the autopsy conducted by the Police Regional Crime Laboratory 7 has different findings from the one conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 7 does not affect their image, Garbo said. Not the first time “I believe the findings of the PNP can stand on their own,” he said, adding that the findings of Dr. Nestor Sator, the police’s medico-legal officer, were justified. Sator said Ducayag died of asphyxia due to pulmonary tuberculosis. Asphyxia is the lack of oxygen or excess of carbon dioxide in the body. But Dr. Rene Cam, medico-legal officer of NBI 7, said severe neck injuries killed the victim. Garbo said there have been cases that the findings of two law enforcement agencies do not match. “Nobody is perfect. These boil down to the technical things. It happened a lot of times,” he said. To shed light on Ducayag’s death last April 12, the NBI 7 has obtained the footages captured by the closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras from Metro Gaisano. “We are making a chronological sequence,” said NBI Supervising Agent Bernard dela Cruz yesterday. He said cameras are installed inside the grocery section where Ducayag bought some items and outside the office of Metro Gaisano’s security personnel. Questioning witnesses Dela Cruz, however, said there is no camera inside the security personnel’s office where Ducayag reportedly died during questioning. “There is a CCTV but it is not functioning. It was newly installed,” he told reporters. “I was told that it was for compliance and it was just installed after the incident.” NBI 7 Director Antonio Pagatpat said seven employees will be called for questioning today. “They are all witnesses,” he said. The CCTV operator, he said, will also be called to certify that the videos are not tampered. Pagatpat said they already have suspects, but he refused to divulge their names pending the outcome of their investigation. The security guards who allegedly apprehended Ducayag and brought him to their office will be summoned to an inquiry at the NBI 7 office next week. The police’s autopsy report will also not affect their findings, said Pagatpat. NBI 7 medico-legal officer Dr. Rene Cam said severe neck injuries caused Ducayag’s death. Dela Cruz said they are half-way in their investigation and charges against the culprits may be filed soon before the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office. “Our investigation is running well,” he said.