By Mar Gabriel and Phoebe Salvador
Eagle News Service
The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) will file murder charges against the two suspects in the death of detainee Genesis “Tisoy” Argoncillo.
In a press conference on Friday, June 22, QCPD director Chief Superintendent Joselito Esquivel Jr. said based on the statements of three witnesses, it was detainees Richard Bautista and Justin Mercado, alleged members of the Sputnik Gang, who mauled Argoncillo to death in the QCPD Station 4 detention cell in Novaliches.
Esquivel denied rumors the witnesses were members of Sputnik’s rival Bahala na gang, noting that one of them was a member of the Genuine Ilocano gang, and the other a former detainee who managed to post bail.
He said this meant that the statements of the witnesses were credible.
According to Esquivel, a thorough investigation led by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) is still ongoing following allegations there were other detainees who helped cover up the beating of Argoncillo.
Meanwhile, an administrative investigation is being conducted to determine whether the police officers on duty could be held liable for the incident.
He said five police officials have already been relieved—the station commander, Supt. Carlito Grijaldo; the jail guard on-duty, P03 Dennis Saño; the desk officer and the shift patrol officer.
The QCPD earlier reported that Argoncillo’s death was due to a heart attack.
But Esquivel said he based this on initial reports, including a medical report prepared by Dr. Jethiel Fabon, he received that said there were no observed external injuries on Argoncillo.
A death certificate later released, however, showed Argoncillo died due to multiple blunt force trauma to his neck, chest, head, and upper extremities.