The chief of police of General Trias City in Cavite has been sacked from his post following the death of a quarantine violator due to excessive exercise as punishment for violating curfew hours.

In an interview, General Trias Police chief Police Lieutenant Colonel Marlo Solero initially denied the allegations and said the only punishment for violators was community service.

However, the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Wednesday cited sworn affidavits from two violators who said they were asked to do knee bender exercises by the two GenTri policemen.

“Cavite PPO has relieved the COP of Gen Trias after finding out that 2 of the quarantine violators executed sworn affidavits that they indeed were made to do physical exercises (knee bender) by two GT policemen earlier relieved pending the investigation,” the PNP Brig. Gen. Ildebrandi Usana said.

Usana added that Solero and the two cops, Police Corporals Jerome Vibar and Kenneth Mercene, have been placed under the supervision of Cavite Police provincial director Police Colonel Marlon Santos.

Vibar and Mercene were the ones accused of requiring Darren Manaog Peñaredondo and seven other curfew violators to do excessive exercises, PNP added.

“This is to also assure that the PNP does not tolerate any act that is inimical to the best interest of our people, particularly the aggrieved parties in the Peñaredondo case,” Usana said.

In an interview with dzRH’s Dos por Dos, Reichelyn Balce, live-in partner of the victim Darren Manaog Peñaredondo, said the latter was arrested after going out on April 1 to buy mineral water. He was brought to the General Trias Police Station.

There, Balce said, violators were ordered to do pumping exercises (similar to push-ups or squats) 100 times. However, the violators were not in sync and had to repeat the exercise until they were able to make 300 rounds.

In a Facebook post of the victim’s cousin, Adrian Lucena, he said Peñaredondo returned home the next day and was barely able to walk. He died eventually despite several attempts to revive him.

“Sabi nya po pinagpumping sila ng 100x kailangan sabay sabay kaya naka ilang ulet sila sabi niya nasa 300 daw nagawa nila… Sabado ng madaling araw nag convulsion siya narevive pa namin siya sa bahay… sinumpong ulet siya narevive ulet kaya lang comatose na siya hanggang ngayong 10:00 pm wala na,” he wrote.

“Tapos sinabi rin niya sakin na na ilang beses pa siyang natumba habang pinag papapumping sila,” Adrian added.

Another Facebook post from a certain Neelia Uznob showed Peñaredondo struggling to stand up.