Killer of 1-year-old boy mauls fellow inmate to death

The man who slit the throat of a one-year-old boy and wounded about a dozen other persons as he tried to flee last Saturday, mauled to death a fellow inmate in a cell they shared at the Caloocan City jail Tuesday afternoon, authorities reported yesterday.

Suspect Ronilo Cebuano alias "Roberto Quano", "Albert Juano", 38, jobless, a native of Milagros, Masbate and temporarily residing at 4247 Sawata Street, Maypajo, Caloocan City, jailed on charges of murder and four counts of frustrated murder for the Saturday killing of Rondel Barba, beat to a pulp fellow inmate Efren Garcia, 29, married, with last known address at 42 La Huerta Street, Road 5, Marulas, Valenzuela City.

Both Cebuano and Garcia were brought to the Ospital ng Caloocan where Garcia succumbed to severe head injuries. Cebuano was treated for a gunshot wound in the upper left arm he sustained in a scuffle with a responding jailguard, JO Florencio Cortes Jr.

The Northern Police District Crime Lab office (Scene of the Crime Operatives) said Garcia died due to "intracranial bleeding secondary to multiple hematoma and contusions on different parts of the head, neck and chest" (internal hemorrhage due to mauling).

"Maaring inumbag, isinalya, inumpog sa rehas, sa sahig o sa sementadong dingding," said SOCO medico-legal officer Senior Inspector Filemon Porciuncula, who autopsied the victim. He also belied reports (not The STAR) the victim was stabbed.

In a report to Northern Police District Office (NPDO) director Chief Superintendent Marcelino Franco Jr. Caloocan Police Station Intelligence and Detective Management Bureau (SIDMB) chief Superintendent Dionicio Borromeo, Cebuano was earlier suspected to be "mentally-disturbed" but was nevertheless committed to the Caloocan City Jail on May 17. There, he was made to share the "adjustment detention cell" occupied by Garcia since April 27. It was gathered that the cell was situated at the back of the jail premises intended for the temporary isolation of prisoners from other inmates particularly those who were "showing signs of emotional disturbance."

City Jail Warden Emmanuel Sicio said at around 1:15 p.m. Tuesday, Cebuano, who showed "homicidal tendencies," beat up Garcia, jailed for robbery with physical injuries. Cebuano was made to share the six-square meter "adjustment detention cell" with the victim, a Commando Gang member, after he allegedly beat up another inmate in the common cell earlier, Sicio told The STAR. – Jerry Botial