Detainee dies after drinking muriatic acid

 CEBU, Philippines - A detainee of the Daanbantayan Police Station committed suicide by drinking muriatic acid Thursday afternoon, the day he was about to be committed to the Medellin District Jail.

Gavino Siangko Jr., 55, of Bragat Compound, Barangay Maya, was rushed to the Daanbantayan District Hospital after he felt intense pain in his abdomen.

He was declared dead two hours later.

Siangko was reportedly depressed after he learned that he will be committed to the Medellin District Jail in Barangay Caputatan Sur, Medellin, 4:00p.m. last Thursday.

The commitment order was issued by Judge Antonio Marigomen, Regional Trial Court Branch 16 in Barangay Dakit, Bogo City.

PO3 Alfredo Mandal, Daanbantayan investigator, said Siangko and two other detainees Geraldo Marikit and Armel Aligato were taken to the Municipal Rural Health Unit for medical examination as a requirement of the jail management during transfer of prisoners.

SPO3 Herminio Marinduque, duty jailer, and PO2 Ressan Moralde, patrol driver, noticed that Siangko was suffering from intense abdominal pain. Policemen then rushed him to the district hospital as advised by the municipal health officer.

“Nagduda na gyud mi nga naghilo siya sa iyang kaugalingon,(We started to suspect that he poisoned himself.)” Mandal said in a phone interview.

During inspection of the stockade, police recovered a small mineral water bottle containing muriatic acid placed beneath the stairs of the building.

Mandal suspected that Siangko took the muriatic acid they used in cleaning the floor of their newly-constructed building.

Mandal added that a few days ago, while playing cards inside the stockade, Siangko told two other detainees, Rodulfo Cataluna and Gino Pepito, that he would commit suicide if he will be transferred to Medellin.

Siangko was arrested last September 14 for violation of Section 5 of RA 9165 or Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. (FREEMAN)