Philippines man dies after being forced to do 300 squats for breaking coronavirus curfew, police chief sacked
- Darren Penaredondo, 28, was detained on Thursday night after going out to buy water in General Trias city, south of Manila
- He was taken along with other curfew breakers to a police station and made to do the gruelling workout, police spokesman said
The chief of police in a town in the Philippines has been relieved from his post after the death of a man who was caught violating curfew, reportedly due to excessive physical punishment.
Darren Penaredondo, 28, died on Saturday after allegedly being forced by police to do 300 rounds of squats. His wife, Reichelyn Balce, said Penaredondo went out on Thursday to buy water, was arrested by village watchmen and then turned over to the police.
Her husband had a heart condition and could barely walk when he got home on Friday and was “in a lot of pain”, she said. The next day he had a “convulsion” and died hours later.
“He said they were made to do pumping exercises for 100 reps. If they’re not in sync, they have to start over,” Balce said.
Marlo Solero, the chief of police of the town of General Trias in Cavite who was let go, had earlier denied that curfew violators were made to do physical exercise as punishment. He claimed they were asked to do community service.
The Philippine National Police said that based on the sworn affidavits of two other people caught violating curfew, policemen made them do knee bends as punishment.