Doctor slams MPD for making him a 'fall guy'

MANILA, Philippines - A doctor scored the police yesterday for arresting him and using him as a “fall guy” in a melee in Paco, Manila Saturday night, during which one person was killed.

“My friends and co-doctors have been ribbing me for acceding to the invitation of the police to go with them. Now I am being charged as the prime suspect in the killing, when all I wanted to do is give my personal account of the melee and clear my name,” Miguel Gary Galvez, 46, a physician and consultant at the surgery department of Ospital ng Maynila, told The STAR.

He is currently detained at the homicide section of the Manila Police District (MPD).

Police Officer 3 Jaime Gonzales Jr. said six men were on their way to Luneta Park on Saturday night when Galvez reportedly confronted the group in front of the Park View building along Gen. Luna street, Paco where Galvez is renting a unit. There was no report on the reason for the confrontation.

Witnesses said they saw Galvez and a certain “Joel” exchanging blows. When they were pacified, a group of men from inside the Park View building started another fistfight.

It was at this juncture when Hyden Vergara, 41, was stabbed. The men went back to the building as his companions rushed Vergara to the Philippine General Hospital, where he died while being treated.

Galvez was initially charged with physical injury for the first fistfight by the Ermita police station, but was later released by an inquest fiscal for further investigation.

Galvez said he was surprised when he was transferred to the MPD’s homicide section as the prime suspect in the stabbing.

“Even the court have found no probable cause to arrest me for the charge of physical injury, what more with the charge of homicide. The police are using me as their fall guy to make it appear that they have solved the killing,” Galvez said.

Homicide section head Chief Inspector Erwin Margarejo said his investigators are studying the allegations of witnesses against Galvez since there are two more other suspects in the stabbing.