PNP doctor faces raps over autopsy

A retired police medico-legal officer will face trial for allegedly falsifying his autopsy report on the death of shopper Mario Alfie Ducayag in 2013.

Katherine Legarda-Pajaron, graft investigation and prosecution officer, found Dr. Nestor Sator, Philippine National Police (PNP) Regional Crime Laboratory's medico-legal officer, liable for falsification and obstruction of justice.

“As earlier discussed, the respondent (Sator) had been sorely remiss in his duty as a medico-legal officer in conducting the autopsy on Alfie and in preparing his autopsy report,” read Pajaron's eight-page joint order.

Ducayag, 23, died inside Metro Gaisano Colon after he was allegedly mauled by the security personnel on suspicion that he stole a pair of slippers last April 12, 2013.

Ducayag's mother, Fe Soledad, filed the complaints for obstruction of justice and falsifi- cation of public document complaints filed against Sator.

Soledad filed the complaints after the autopsy result of National Bureau of Investigation ( NBI) 7 medico-legal officer Dr. Rene Cam showed that her son died of traumatic neck injuries.

Cam's findings contradicted that of Sator, who said Ducayag died of asphyxia due to bleed- ing pulmonary tuberculosis. Asphyxia is the lack of oxygen or excess of carbon dioxide in the body.

NBI's investigation led to the filing of criminal complaints against Metro Gaisano's former chief security officer Mauricio Doblados Jr., former security camera operator Jeffrey Aquino and former house detective Melvin Boyles. /