By Jennifer P. Rendon
The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology-Region 6 (BJMP-6) is investigating the death of an inmate in its facility in Pototan, Iloilo.
But Jail Superintendent Gilbert Peremne, BJMP-6 assistant regional director for administration, said initial investigation indicated that there’s no foul play in the death of Nicasio Solacito.
The 44-year old Solacito reportedly died on July 18.
Peremne said the victim ate instant noodles in the evening of July 17 before going to sleep.
In the morning, “jail personnel did an accounting of inmates. But Solacito seemed unperturbed in his sleep. When it was checked, there were no vitals already,” Peremne said.
The inmate was taken to the hospital where he was declared dead.
“Solacito could have died due to bangungot,” Peremne said.
Bangungot is a loose Filipino layman term that closely resembles the clinical picture for acute pancreatitis.
Nonetheless, Peremne said they will still investigate Solacito’s death.
Solacito was jailed for homicide after he allegedly killed his brother, 39-year old Glenn, on Feb. 27, 2020.
Records from Sta. Barbara Police Station indicated that the drunken Glenn went to Solacito’s house to ask if he could get bamboo from the latter’s property.
A heated argument ensued between them until Glenn punched Solacito. The latter retaliated and punched the victim thrice on the jaw.
Glenn then fell to the pavement.
Solacito told police investigators that he went to the kitchen to boil water for their coffee.
But he later noticed that Glenn failed to get up. When he checked on him, his brother was unconscious.
Solacito asked help from barangay officials and brought the victim to Western Visayas Sanitarium where Glenn died an hour later.
Solacito was subsequently jailed.
Police Major Raymond Celoso, Sta. Barbara police chief, said they filed an inquest case against Solacito.
The court issued a commitment order for him to be jailed at the Iloilo Provincial Jail on July 2020.
Several days later, he died.
