NBI asked to probe trainee’s death

Aileen Ruiz communicates with some relatives using her laptop near the photo frame of her son P01 Christopher Ruiz Jr., who died in a police training camp in Sibonga town, cebu.(CDN/JUNJIE MENDOZA)

How did PO1 Christopher Ruiz Jr. really  die?
A lawyer has asked  the National Bureau of Investigation in Central Visayas (NBI-7) to investigate the death of his 23-year-old son who was allegedly electrocuted while training inside a police camp in  Sibonga town, south Cebu.

Christopher Ruiz Sr., who is also a retired police officer, said no police official has briefed him yet about the circumstances of his son’s death.

“This is only to clear everything. This is not only for us but also for those who are speculating. We want to know the truth,” said the father.

“It was his mate who called and told me what happened.  We rushed to Sibonga but were directed to the South General Hospital, where my son was brought,” said the lawyer, who was interviewed at the wake.

Supt. Renato Dugan, chief of the Personnel Division of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7), said an in-house investigation is ongoing.

Initial reports said PO1 Christopher Jr. accidentally touched a low-lying live wire near the chapel inside Camp Ceperino Genovia of the Regional Public Safety Battalion in Central Visayas (RPSB-7) last Monday morning.

He had just graduated from the Regional Training School in Consolacion town last June 16 along with other aspiring police officers of Batch Shepherd.

It was the first day of a training program on internal security operations when the tragedy occurred.

Christopher would have turned 24 in July. He  graduated with a degree in Information Technology.

He worked for various companies before he enrolled in the Philippine National Police Academy in 2013 but encountered some problems and dropped out.

He wanted to follow in the footsteps of his father and took the  National Police Commission examination and passed.

Ruiz Sr. was against his son’s desire to join the police force.

“I didn’t encourage him because I came from there. I told him, why would you want to join when I’ve left the police force. But I know he wanted to prove that he could surpass what I had accomplished. In fact, he enrolled in law school but stopped due to his police training,” Ruiz Sr. said.

Their last conversation was on Sunday.

He tearfully recalled advising his son to rest early for his first day of training.

“There are only five stations.  I came prepared,” the son told his father.

As his son  jogged twice in a day, the lawyer said he was sure his son was prepared for the rigors of police training.

“He even stopped me from visiting him at the camp.  He didn’t want to be resented for being the son of a former policeman,” said  Ruiz.

The young man’s remains lie in state at St. Peter’s funeral home in Imus Road, Cebu City.