Detainee falls to the floor, hits head and dies

CEBU, Philippines — A man who was arrested for attacking two people in Dalaguete town met his untimely death when he reportedly fell to the floor and hit his head on concrete at the police station.

PO3 Jehaziel Hyo-a of the Dalaguete Police said they arrested Joel Amaba, 43, last Friday dawn when he attacked the owner of the store where his live-in partner, Prima Cañete, works in Barangay Tapon.

Hyo-a said Amaba was drunk when he went to the store at past 2 a.m. and allegedly forced himself in. He then attacked Daisy Regala, the owner, as well as her American live-in partner, Charles Bowers.

It was not clear how Amaba attack the couple but his presence caused a commotion, Hyo-a said, and Regala who is pregnant got hit by a hard object. She had be brought to a hospital in Dumaguete City in neighboring Negros island.

Hyo-a said Amaba might have been jealous at Bowers, which made him attack the couple.

At the police station, Amaba reportedly went to the restroom to urinate but when he came out, he reportedly fell and hit his head on the concrete floor.

“Pag-detain diri, mao pa may pagbutang ato. Pag-estorya sa mga piniriso, nangihi siya unya pagbalik, nalamba nabunal ang ulo sa semento,” Hyo-a said.

Amaba was brought to the Julio Cardina Rosales Memorial Hospital in Poblacion, Dalaguete but he did not make it there alive.

The certificate of death indicated a wound to his forehead. His relatives reportedly refused an autopsy on his remains.

Amaba was convicted previously of alarm and scandal, malicious mischief and violence against women and children. —JMO (FREEMAN)