Detainee hangs self

CEBU, Philippines - A detainee was found dead inside the comfort room of the Lilo-an Police Station  in Barangay Poblacion, Lilo-an after he reportedly hanged himself past 9 p.m. Thursday.

Rubin Cabatingan, 49, of Greenhills, Barangay Poblacion, reportedly went to the comfort room of the detention cell to answer the call of nature.

Cabatingan was reportedly taking too much time and his wife has arrived to visit him, which prompted other detainees to check on him.

The detainees peeped through a hole under the comfort room’s door and saw Cabatingan hanging. This forced them to destroy the door.

Cabatingan used an electrical wire which he looped around his neck.

Cabatingan was charged with rape for allegedly molesting his 12-year-old daughter Monday evening inside their house. The case was filed Thursday at the Cebu Provincial Prosecutor’s Office.

SPO3 Roy Susvilla, case investigator, told The FREEMAN that it was the 17-year-old daughter of Cabatingan who noticed that her 12-year-old younger sister was crying past 1 a.m. Monday.

“Naghilak nang manghod ana pero nagtuo lang siya nga basin gimingaw sa ilang mama nga tua sa Ormoc nanarbaho maong anang buntag na niya gipangutana kung nganong gahilak,” Susvilla said in a phone interview, adding that it was also at this point when the 12-year-old girl informed her elder sister of what happened.

The siblings reported the incident to the police which was followed by the arrest of Cabatingan.

The mother of the victims arrived Thursday morning and confronted Cabatingan, who reportedly joked that he would commit suicide.

“Wala may nagtuo nga maghikog to siya kay human ug ingon mukatawa ra man nagtuo ang kauban niya nga nangomedya lang,” Susvilla said.

It was 9 p.m. when Cabatingan excused himself to go to the comfort room. Minutes later, the wife arrived and knew of the suicide.

PO3 Renato Pendo, duty jail officer, rushed the victim to the Lilo-an District Hospital where he was declared dead on arrival by the attending physician.

Susvilla admitted they could not determine where Cabatingan got electrical wire as the there is a ventilator area at the back portion of the jail where job order employees of the municipal hall pass by.

“Come and go ang mga job order employee unya naay mag-snacks kay duna may tindahan sa luyo unya wala mi kahibalo nga naay gipamalihug ba kaha o ilaha na lang kay himuon ug hayhayan,” the investigator said.

Provincial Investigation and Detective Management Branch, Supt. Rodulfo Albotra Jr., has called for the investigation into the suicide as well as the incident at the Consolacion Police Station where a detainee was able to escape Tuesday.

Lester Alfornon, 19, of Landing, Barangay Catarman, Lilo-an, escaped from the Consolacion police detention cell by destroying the ceiling and the metal sheets of the roof. He, however, was arrested in a joint hot pursuit operation by the Danao City and the Consolacion police Wednesday afternoon in Barangay Guinsay, Danao City.

“We will check the liability of the personnel relative to the escape bisan pa man nadakpan ra dayon and  to  the death of the detainee kung nganong dunay wire sa sulod,” he said.— /ATO (FREEMAN)