BY MAI LADIAO
ILOILO – Calls for justice reverberate across Northern Iloilo State University (NISU) after one of its students was allegedly assaulted by a police officer.
Dr. Engr. Bobby Gerardo, NISU president, in an interview with RMN Iloilo, maintained that what the police officer identified as Corporal Mark Aaron Pantia did to their student constituted police brutality, prompting the university to assist the victim.
Gerardo further stated that they would file administrative and criminal cases against the policeman, citing the student’s injuries as proof of the alleged assault.
“Granting abi nga may sala gid man, tani gin dala niya sa police station kag didto aregluhon ang stiwasyon indi nga insigida gin-apply-an niya sang force,” Gerardo added.
The student, identified as James Eron Diaz, 21, and a resident of Barangay Poblacion Ilawod, Sara, Iloilo, is a third-year college student at the NISU-Sara campus.
According to Diaz, he and a friend rode a motorcycle at around 12:30 a.m. on Feb. 14 to buy food. Upon their return home, they were followed by two motorcycles with two riders each, one of whom was Pantia.
Upon reaching a junction, Pantia reportedly blocked their motorcycle, approached Diaz, pistol-whipped him, and struck him with a glass bottle.
Diaz and his friend pleaded for mercy, asking not to be shot. When Diaz stood up, Pantia’s companion allegedly chased, restrained, and punched the student in the abdomen.
The suspects then allegedly walked away as if nothing had happened.
Diaz sustained head injuries, and one of his ears was severely hurt./PN
