Peasant leader’s kin sue lawmen for wrongful death

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga, Philippines — The children of peasant leader Joseph Canlas on Wednesday filed administrative and criminal complaints against police and jail officials after he contracted and died of COVID-19 while detained in Angeles City.

Jenelle Tenessy Canlas Buan and Joseph Cordova Canlas accused six officers of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in Central Luzon of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide, violations of the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act, grave misconduct and gross neglect of duty.

The charges were in addition to gross ignorance of the law, inefficiency and incompetence in the performance of official duties, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.

‘Part of our job’

Named in the complaints filed in the Office of the Ombudsman were Col. Edwin Balles, CIDG regional chief; Maj. Alfredo Agbuya Jr., investigation chief of the CIDG regional office; Jail Chief Supt. Lyndon Torres, BJMP regional chief; and Supt. Rebecca Manalo Tiguelo, warden of the BJMP Angeles District Jail male dormitory.

The other respondents were Senior Jail Officer 3 Caroline Sanchez, chief nurse of the BJMP Angeles City District Jail; and Jail Officer 1 Ma. Christine Boucher, BJMP Angeles City District Jail staff nurse.

The complainants asked the Ombudsman to place all six officers under preventive suspension without pay.

The Inquirer tried to reach the respondents for comment but only Tiguelo replied through a text message.

“I understand their [Canlas’ family] sentiments and we sincerely extend our deepest sympathy,” she said, adding that they would answer the allegations against them in the proper forum.

“This kind of situation is part of our job. We will still continue doing our job despite adversities,” Tiguelo said.

Illegal possession

The 59-year-old Canlas, chair of the farmers’ group Alyansa ng Magbubukid sa Gitnang Luzon, was arrested outside its office for illegal possession of firearms and explosives in Mexico town, Pampanga, on March 30.

After being taken into custody by the CIDG, he was moved to the BJMP district jail in Angeles City on April 15 where he was quarantined until May 6. Tiguelo, a registered nurse, said Canlas was transferred to the Rafael L. Lazatin Medical Center, formerly the Ospital Ning Angeles, at 8 p.m. on May 8 due to “low level of oxygen saturation.”

The next morning, he was again moved to the Jose B. Lingad Memorial General Hospital in Angeles City where he was eventually intubated and hooked to a ventilator until his death on May 11. A swab test confirmed he was positive for COVID-19.

At risk

Buan said her father had complained of a recurring fever during their video call at past 5 p.m. on May 8. Along with her brother, she claimed the respondents failed to test Canlas for COVID-19 despite knowing he was at risk due to his history of hypertension and diabetes.

They said in their complaint-affidavit that their father was quarantined together with 90 to 100 inmates.

“Respondents failed to closely monitor and assess the health condition of Canlas, whom they know to be hypertensive, while he was in the [Angeles] quarantine facility,” they added.

“It cannot be denied that the failure of respondents to perform acts eventually caused his untimely death,” they said.

—WITH A REPORT FROM NIKKA G. VALENZUELA