PNP doctor dies of disinfectant poisoning, 2 other cops hospitalized

Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Gen. Archie Francisco Gamboa has ordered a thorough investigation on the death of a police physician due to inhalation of toxic chemicals from the disinfectant being sprayed on police personnel manning a COVID-19 treatment facility.

PNP spokesman Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac said that Gamboa has tasked the leadership of the PNP Health Service to look into all the circumstances that led to the death of Dr. Casey Gutierrez, a lateral entrant with a rank of captain.

“There could be negligence in the handling of these toxic chemicals. The chief PNP wants to know what really happened and he does not want the repeat of this unfortunate incident,” Banac told the Manila Bulletin in an interview.

Part of the investigation, according to Banac, is the possible accountability of those liable for the incident that led to the death of Captain Gutierrez.

The 31-year-old Gutierrez experienced difficulty in breathing while undergoing the decontamination protocol at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City, one of the two PNP-manned COVID-19 treatment facilities aside from the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), on the night of March 24.

He was immediately taken to the PNP General Hospital but had to be transferred to the Lung Center of the Philippines due to his worsening condition.

On May 30, Gutierrez died. A police report obtained by the Manila Bulletin disclosed that two days after the death of Dr. Gutierrez, two more policemen suffered difficulty in breathing after undergoing the same decontamination process at the PhilSports Arena.