Detainee suffers stroke in jail, dies

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – A person under police custody (PUPC) died after he suffered a seizure inside the custodial facility of Himamaylan City Police Station in Negros Occidental yesterday.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Reynante Jomocan, city police chief, identified the victim as Arthur James Vargas, 37, of Barangay 1.

Jomocan said that another PUPC discovered that Vargas was struggling around 2:10 a.m. This prompted him to call for assistance from the jailer.

Rescuers arrived, checked the victim, and took him to a hospital where he was declared dead.

Jomocan said the victim had hypertension and previously suffered a mild stroke.

Based on the medical findings, Vargas suffered another stroke that caused his death, according to Jomocan.

Jomocan said the victim was arrested for a drug offense and was jailed for about two weeks.