CHR 7 probes death of Compostela rape suspect

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) in Centraly Visayas yesterday started investigating the police chief of Compostela town to determine if excessive force was used against a rape suspect last Thursday.

Leo Villarino, special investigator of the CHR – 7, said they are looking into complaints from the family of the suspect who claims he was unarmed and did not pose grave danger to law enforcers led by Senior Insp. Jaime Tolentino, the Compostela police chief and five other policemen.

Tolentino said the police are cooperating with the CHR inquiry.

“I am open for any investigation. Ours was a  legitimate operation. It was also an act of self-defense,” Tolentino told Cebu Daily News.

He denied allegations that it was an “overkill” for the law enforcers to shoot and kill Jeneño Udtojan in sitio Aggies, barangay Compostela.

The CHR will look into whether Compostela policemen observed PNP rules of engagement when they encountered Udtujan on his way to the town’s public cemetery to visit the grave of his mother.

The rape suspect has a pending warrant of arrest issued by Mandaue Regional Trial Court Judge Teresita Abarquez-Galanida.

Udtojan was accused of raping a girl two years ago also in sitio Aggies.

His co-accused in the case, Adonis Carasaquit was arrested and is now detained in the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center.