By RALPH JOHN MIJARES
ROXAS City — Heart failure, not his injuries, caused the death of the electronics engineering student allegedly mauled to death by four security guards, a prosecutor said.
A four-page resolution penned by Assistant City Prosecutor Fernald Jornales said Toni Russel Casipe, 28, died of heart failure alone.
The Filamer Christian University student possibly suffered from “heart attack” triggered by “stress” during his confrontation with the university’s guards, it said.
Four guards were detained and charged with murder over Casipe’s death: Rojien Borbon, Wilbert Opeñano, Hubert Villaluz, and Henry Brillo, all of Golden Eye Security Agency.
Through the resolution, the City Prosecutor’s Office dismissed the case on July 10. The suspects were released the following day.
Considering the student’s heart failure, the guards, who “acted in the performance of their duty and lawful exercise thereof in dealing with the incident,” cannot be held criminally liable, said Jornales.
An autopsy report on Casipe said he died of “heart failure secondary to cardiomyopathy, with multiple blunt traumatic injuries to head and extremities.”
Casipe went berserk and scuffled with Borbon when the latter prevented him from entering the university’s annex campus here in the evening of June 22.
Borbon called for help from the three other guards and later called the police. They also tied Casipe’s legs using a nylon cord.
A native of Bacolod City, the student “has no permission to enter the premises, considering the school was closed, it was Sunday and nighttime [sic],” the resolution said.
“We recognize the obligation and responsibility of these security guards to safeguard and secure the premises according to the mandate given to them by their superiors,” it said. “To do otherwise and they may be considered to be remiss in their duties [sic].”
Jornales said tying Casipe using a nylon cord “may be considered primitive; nevertheless, under the prevailing circumstance, it may be argued that it may be the means reasonably necessary to prevent Casipe from entering the premises in light of the aggressive stance assumed by the latter.”
The university will not give any reaction yet, its media officer, Jane Tormon, said in a text message.
“Filamer cannot issue a statement on the case [yet],” she said. “The (Casipe) family might file a motion for reconsideration.”
Tormon clarified that the university has not reinstated the four guards. “Wala sila gin-reinstate. The administration is yet to discuss it with the [security] agency.”/PN
