CEBU CITY, Philippines — A sick detainee, who decided to leave the hospital fearing he might catch COVID-19 there, was found dead inside a quarantine facility on August 14 in Ronda town in southwestern Cebu.
Leodegario Tampus, 50, of Barangay Palanas, Ronda town in southwestern Cebu, was already dead inside the isolation room when he was found by the person bringing his food for the morning, said Police Staff Sergeant Josephus Diana, desk officer of the Ronda Police Station.
Diana said that Tampus was earlier admitted to a public hospital in a neighboring town for acute gastritis or inflammation of the lining of the stomach.
He was brought to the hospital on August 7 after he complained of stomach pain and was frequently vomiting.
He was diagnosed with acute gastritis and was admitted on that day.
But on August 10, Diana said that Tampus signed a waiver to be discharged from the hospital despite his condition and asked to be returned to the detention cell.
“Mao to nagparelease siya kay lain na iyang paminaw unya hadlok guro sad siya nga ma Covid. Lisod na sad siya kay kung mukaon siya, isuka ra sad niya,” Diana said.
(That is why he asked to be released from the hospital because he felt that he was not really feeling well and that he must have feared catching COVID there. He also found it difficult to eat because he would just vomit it.)
“Unya nagparelease siya. Nagsign siya og waiver. Pag August 10, girelease siya maong gi isolate namo,”he said.
(Then he had himself released. He signed a waiver on August 10. He was released and that is why he was isolated.)
Diana said that Tampus had tested negative of COVID-19 and that all detainees in the police detention cell were also negative for the virus.
He also said that Tampos had been detained in Ronda Police Station since September 15, 2019, for selling and possession of illegal drugs.
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