FORMER policeman Joel Nuezca, who was convicted of killing a mother and son in Tarlac last December, died last Tuesday at the New Bilibid Prison hospital where he was brought after he collapsed at the national penitentiary in Muntinlupa City where he was serving a life sentence.
Bureau of Corrections spokesperson Gabriel Chaclag said Nuezca died at 6:44 p.m. but added the cause of death is still unknown pending the conduct of autopsy.
“He was brought unconscious to the NBP hospital by his cellmates at 6:30 p.m. when they noticed that he collapsed on the floor of their dormitory,” Chaclag said.
“Investigation ongoing to determine if there was foul play involved,” he added.
Chaclag later clarified that Nuezca collapsed outside his dormitory.
“He was walking outside his dormitory when he collapsed. He was with somebody at the time,” Chaclag explained.
Nuezca was meted life imprisonment by the Regional Trial Court of Paniqui, Tarlac last August for killing Sonya Gregorio and her son Frank after a heated argument. The shooting was caught on video that went viral.
The court also ordered him to pay the heirs of Sonya P476, 000 and the same amount to the heirs of Frank.
Justice Undersecretary Deo Marco said the Bureau of Corrections is already looking into the cause of death of Nuezca.
“I asked to be given a copy of their investigation,” Marco said, adding Nuezca’s body was still in a morgue pending the conduct of autopsy by the National Bureau of Investigation.
