Kin of mauling victim seeks CIDG help

CEBU, Philippines - The family of Redentor Iscalicas, who was reportedly mauled by policemen in Barangay Poblacion, Madridejos, sought help from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).

They also went to the Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory-7 for an autopsy of the body after Cerila Iscalicas, the victim’s mother, said she cannot trust the investigation by the Madridejos police.

“Diskumpiyado mi nga sila lang ang mohimo sa imbestigasyon kay sila ra gud didto,” Cerila said on a phone interview. (We don’t trust them because the accused policemen are their colleagues.)

Cerila claimed that before 28-year-old Redentor died, he was able to tell her it was PO1 Jeffrey Barco who mauled him.

But Barco denied this. He was not on duty at that time and was not among the five arresting officers. However, he also said that Iscalicas was already in pain when he was taken to the police station and even fell off the chair due also to drunkenness.

“Mao na karon akong problema nganong na-implicate akong ngan mura nahug ug mistaken identity,” he told The FREEMAN. (I wonder why they are implicating me, they’re mistaken.)

He admitted that he once arrested the peers of Iscalicas for disobedience and a case was filed. He added that one of them was under their watch for being involved in illegal drugs.

“Possible gisakyan sa barkada aron makabawos sila aron mawala ko diri kay tunok ko sa ilang panan-aw,” Barco said. (It’s possible Iscalicas’ friends are using this issue to get back at me.)

He vows to face any investigation to clear his name. Iscalicas was confined at the Bantayan District Hospital at 1:00 p.m. last Saturday but Dr. Jatoborn Batanagol, the resident doctor, referred him to a hospital in Cebu City for an urgent surgery.  (FREEMAN)