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Inmate's
death in jail
assault still unsolved
By
KIT BAGAIPO
An
investigation into the death of an inmate during a police and military assault
of the Bohol Detention and Rehabilitation Center (BDRC) last June 3 may all end
up unsolved.
The
Commission on Human Rights (CHR) on Friday said their probe into the jail assault
has hit a major snag as they could not get sworn statements from at least seven
prisoners who testified that assault operatives "planted" the .38 caliber
pistol made to appear in the possession of inmate Nilo Corbita.
Corbita
was killed with a 5.56 millimeter bullet through his left eyebrow while another
slug hit the victim's chin.
Initial
statements of police however claimed that Corbita attempted to resist the operatives
which prompted them to shoot him.
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However, Bohol
Police Provincial Director SSupt. Edgardo Ingking, ground commander of the operation,
later said that the bullets which killed Corbita came from warning shots fired
by the assault team and ricocheted from the detention cell's wall before hitting
the inmate.
CHR
Region-7 Investigator Primo Cadampog told the Chronicle that identifying Corbita's
hitman "seems unlikely" since they could not pinpoint who among the
operatives were assigned to the area where the inmate was shot. |
"We
could only identify the hitman if we get the cooperation of the ground commander,
SSupt. Ingking which is also unlikely as they themselves have not identified the
operative responsible," he said.
Although
SSupt. Ingking had given the CHR a list of the operatives, they could not determine
their assignments during the execution of the assault.
The
assault team was composed of elements from the Bohol PNP, the Special Reaction
Unit (SRU), Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) from the Cebu PNP, elements of
the Philippine Army and selected jail guards.
During
an inspection at the jail premises, Cadampog noted that the "warning shots"
fired by the assault team were too low as evidenced by bullet marks.
According
to inmates interviewed by the CHR probe team, Corbita, who awoke from his sleep
when operatives fired their warning shots tried to get up from his bed but was
hit to the head.
The
inmates denied Corbita possessed the .38 handgun as security in the jail was tight
since retired Col. Raul Mendez assumed as jail warden.
As
of now, out of fear, no one among the prisoners who witnessed the incident want
to execute a sworn statement, said Cadampog.
He
said they are now seeking the intervention of either the Integrated Bar of the
Philippines (IBP) or the Department of Justice (DOJ) for the possibility that
the inmates be placed under witness protection.
"I
don't know if this is possible," according to Cadampog as placing a prisoner
under witness protection "has not been done yet."
RESTORING
ORDER
The
jail assault was carried out upon orders of Gov. Erico Aumentado to end the standoff
between 315 inmates and the jail guards at BDRC.
Since
the BDRC inmates held a riot last April 13, the detention facility had been run
by the prisons' council of elders who most of the time, prevailed over the jail
guards.
Even
after iron bars of the 25 detention cells were repaired, the inmates were still
free to roam around the jail's premises as their cells did not have padlocks.
The
assault team recovered during the operation 14 cellular phones, 6 pairs of scissors,
20 knives, 2 screw drivers, 1 Swiss knife, 1 ice pick, 17 improvised arrows (Indian
pana) and one sling shot and 1 improvised 12-gauge shotgun. | 
