Genesis ‘Tisoy’ Argoncillo (Photo from Marilou Argoncillo’s Facebook page)
DAVAO CITY, Philippines — Kabataan party list vehemently condemned the attempts of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Duterte administration to cover up the brutal death of Genesis “Tisoy” Argoncillo and to categorically deny the verbal order to have vagrants arrested.
“At first, the police claimed that Tisoy died of ‘shortness of breath’ — up until the medicolegal report was published showing that he died of ‘blunt force trauma’, meaning he was mauled, and now they claim that he was beaten up by two of his co-inmates for running around the prison cell,” Kabataan Partylist Representative Sarah Elago recounted.
Tisoy’s prison cell was meant to hold only 40 people, but 135 detainees were there. Senator Panfilo Lacson questioned why Argoncillo was detained along with those facing murder charges? But the police still denies that he was beaten to death while in detention.
“The inconsistencies in the police’s statements are a disrespect not only to the Argoncillo family, but to all families who now seek for justice for their loved ones who have been illegally arrested and detained,” the youth solon said
As of now Police have filed murder charges against two inmates who allegedly mauled Agoncillo to death.
It was reported that Argoncillo was nabbed during the anti-tambay operation last June 15 and the police claimed that the victim was arrested and detained for alarm and scandal. But the family said he was watching videos on his phone in front of a store next to their house in Novaliches, Quezon City last Friday night when policemen arrested him because he was not wearing a shirt.
When Kabataan Rep. Elago visited the place of Agoncillo, she found out that Tisoy’s home is not even five meters away from the store where he bought cellphone load. It was far from the main road, and not often visited by the police up until Duterte ordered the arrest of ‘tambays’.
“Justice, in this rotten and corrupt system, is only as elusive as a dictator commands. Duterte can make all the excuses he can think of and the police can draw more stories to cover up their crimes, but the people are already aware of their deeds and are ready to demand and fight for justice and accountability. Duterte’s design now is to normalize crimes and fascism — through both legal measures and direct verbal commands. In essence, this is undeclared nationwide martial law,” she saaid
Kabataan party list strongly encouraged everyone to step up “the fight against tyranny and fascism,” and to join the nationwide walkout on July 6. The youth called for a “march with the masses against a dictatorship,” “Together we shall resist martial law — in whatever form it may take,” said Rep. Elago. (davaotoday.com)
