MANILA, Philippines – The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief has sacked the jail guard on duty when Genesis “Tisoy” Argoncillo died at the Quezon City Police District Station 4.

In a phone interview with Rappler on Thursday, June 21, Chief Superintendent Guillermo Eleazar identified the cop as Police Officer 3 Dennis Saño.

Eleazar told Rappler that initially, he did not want to sack anyone yet pending the police investigation into the death of Argoncillo. Quezon City’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit is conducting the probe.

He said he changed his mind after being shown photos of Argoncillo with bruises around his face and body, and a death certificate that said he was beaten to death, signed by no less than the PNP medico-legal chief Superintendent Joseph Palmero. (EXCLUSIVE: Photos, death certificate show Genesis ‘Tisoy’ Argoncillo beaten to death)

Argoncillo was among those arrested during the PNP’s anti-“tambay” drive in Quezon City on June 15. He died while under police custody on June 19.

His family claimed he was beaten to death, but Quezon City cops said he likely died because he was detained in a small jail cell with over a hundred others. The jail cell was built to hold only 6 people, Quezon City police said.

With new evidence, Eleazar said the police are looking into the angle that Argoncillo was killed, possibly by gangs who shared the same cell. – Rappler.com