Coast Guard probes trainee’s death

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Coast Guard has begun an investigation to determine if foul play was involved in the death of a trainee, allegedly electrocuted on board one of the PCG’s ships over the weekend, an official said yesterday.

The investigation of Dharryll Mojica’s death will be headed by Internal Affairs Service chief Commander Danilo Ubaldo, upon the orders of PCG commandant Vice Admiral Rodolfo Isorena.

“The internal investigation would show if Mojica’s death was accidental or intentional. We are hoping that this would shed light into the allegations that 22-year-old trainee (was killed). This is also to appease the family who believe that there might have been foul play,” PCG spokesman Commander Armand Balilo said.

He added that their initial findings showed that apart from Mojica, there were three other trainees who also experienced electrocution and one of them even experienced numbness in the right leg.

Balilo said he believes Mojica’s death was an accident and they would welcome it if other investigative bodies would be tapped to conduct a separate probe. The PCG is also asking the victim’s family for a copy of the autopsy report that was conducted by the Philippine National Police (PNP).

He said the victim and other members of Class 32’s Bravo Company boarded the PCG’s BRP San Juan, docked at the PCG headquarters’ wharf, for their shipboard familiarization course, set from Sept. 24 to Oct. 4.

Mojica was in his sixth month of training for the entry-level position of coastguardman.

At around 7:10 p.m. on Sept. 24, the victim and three other male trainees went to the shower room. Balilo said one of the trainees heard Mojica warn them that the wall in the shower room was grounded.

The victim, while taking a bath, reportedly leaned on an electrical outlet where they plug the washing machines. The outlet is located near the shower room’s entrance.

One of the trainees grabbed Mojica and tried to detach him from the outlet, but also ended up being electrocuted. It was another trainee who pushed them away from the outlet, Balilo said.

Mojica was brought to the PCG medical service office but he was transferred the following day to the Philippine General Hospital (PGH), where he was unconscious until he died last Saturday.

Balilo said the victim would be entitled to hospitalization and funeral service benefits. The victim’s family is also entitled to 50 percent of his pension, which is about P8,000, he added.

Mojica’s relatives, according to GMA News, sought an investigation into his death after noting the PGH’s initial report, which indicated acute respiratory failure due to drowning as the cause of death. 

The victim’s aunt, Erminia Ersando, said the doctors told them that Mojica had two liters of water in his lungs.

Mojica’s family also said the victim had wounds and injuries on his neck.

They also alleged that Mojica sent them a text message just before the incident, saying he was six minutes late for his class and would find out about his “punishment” the next day.