THE Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) on Wednesday confirmed the death in detention of former policeman Jonel Nuezca, whose brazen murder of a mother and her son in Tarlac last year – caught on video — fanned public anger against police.
Nuezca was sentenced to reclusion perpetua after he was found guilty of two counts of murder over the killings last December 20, 2020.
Based on the initial report released by BuCor, Nuezca died at around 6:44pm on Tuesday. November 30, 2021.
“He was brought unconscious to the NBP (New Bilibid Prisons) Hospital by his cell mates at 6 :30 p.m. yesterday (November 30, 2021) when they noticed that he collapsed on the floor of their dormitory,” the report said.
However, the BuCor spokesman Gabriel Chaclag clarified that Nuezca was walking outside his dormitory together with some inmates when he collapsed.
“Investigation is still ongoing to determine if there is foul play in the incident,” the BuCor said.
Aside from a prison term, the Regional Trial Court of Paniqui, Tarlac also directed Nuezca to pay the heirs of his victims — Sonia Gregorio, 52, and her 25-year-old son Frank Anthony – in the amount of P426,280 each.
Gregorio and her son were shot dead by Nuezca at close range during a heated argument over a noisemaker. He vented his anger on Frank and tried to pull him away but Gregorio intervened. He shot her in the face, and then killed her son as well.The incident sparked public outrage against the police, which has been under fire for its failure to protect some innocent civilians in its bloody all-out war against illegal drugs.
Image courtesy of PRO-3