An inmate at the Cebu City Jail has died under suspicious circumstances, with the National Bureau of Investigation in Central Visayas (NBI-7) saying the cause was blunt traumatic injuries consistent with possible torture. The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has launched a probe into the incident.

The victim, identified as 37-year-old Fernando Abapo Prajes, was committed to the Cebu City Jail–Male Dormitory on March 25 on charges of statutory rape involving an 11-year-old girl. He was rushed to the hospital on April 26 but was declared dead on arrival. The attending physician initially listed “sudden cardiac death” as the cause, but an autopsy requested by the CHR revealed otherwise.

NBI-7 medico-legal officer Dr. Rene Cam presented findings showing severe bruising on Prajes’ thighs, swelling of his scrotum, and abrasions on his elbows, which he described as defensive wounds. “This is like hazing where you are paddled,” Cam said, noting that the injuries were consistent with repeated blows from a hard object, possibly inflicted almost daily during his month-long detention.

Cam explained that Prajes lost nearly one liter of blood due to the injuries, an amount his body could not withstand, leading to death. He added that the extreme pain may have triggered neurogenic shock. “The cardiac arrest is secondary to an antecedent cause. Kini (blunt traumatic injuries) maoy una. Ang cardiac arrest happened as a consequence,” he clarified.

The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in Region 7 said it is cooperating with investigations by the CHR and the Philippine National Police. Jail officials stressed they would not protect any personnel or inmates found responsible for the maltreatment.

The incident has sparked outrage and renewed calls for accountability in detention facilities. Human rights advocates warn that the case underscores systemic issues in jail management and the urgent need for reforms to prevent abuse of persons deprived of liberty.

As investigations continue, the CHR has vowed to pursue justice for Prajes, while the NBI’s forensic findings have intensified scrutiny of Cebu City Jail’s handling of inmates.