Sinas: No special task group to investigate Ramirez’s death

Brigadier General Debold Sinas (center), chief of Police Regional Office in Central Visayas, says no Special Investigation Task Group will be formed in relation to the death of former Medellin mayor Ricardo Ramirez. CDND PHOTO / Benjie Talisic

CEBU CITY, Philippines —The Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) will not form a Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) on the case involving the death of former Medellin mayor Ricardo “Ricky” Ramirez.

This was revealed by Brigadier General Debold Sinas, director of PRO-7, who added that he had already directed the chief of Medellin Police Station to handle the case.

Sinas said Ramirez’s case did not pass the criteria needed to push for the formation of an SITG.

READ: Former Medellin mayor Ricky Ramirez shot dead inside hospital room

READ: Medellin police: No threats on former mayor’s life before attack

Sinas said a person needs to be an employee of the government, a member of the police or the army in order for authorities to form an SITG to investigate the case.

He said the formation of an SITG involving a person’s death would also depend on its impact to the community.

In the case of Ramirez, Sinas said that the former mayor was a prisoner, who was under a hospital arrest, an arrangement which many view as a case of special treatment.

Sinas, however, did not discount the fact that Ramirez’s brutal death in the hands of 15 unknown assailants is unfortunate and could not have happened if he was inside the prison.

Sinas will meet with Major Audie Pelayo, chief of Medellin Police, to check on the progress of Ramirez’s case, which  will also include an investigation on whether or not the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology had committed lapses in ensuring Ramirez’s safety while under hospital arrest.

Ramirez will be laid to rest today, June 24. / celr