Police doctor dies of disinfectant intoxication

A DOCTOR at the Philippine National Police (PNP) General Hospital has died after undergoing decontamination protocol in a quarantine facility in Pasig City, a police official confirmed on Sunday.

“Tama yan nakatanggap na tayo ng initial na ulat na merong tayong police doctor na binawian ng buhay, aksidenteng nakalanghap ng chemical sa ating quarantine facility at sa ngayon ay inaalam na ito ng health service upang matukoy at hindi na maulit ang pangyayari at tayo ay nakikiramay sa pamilya ng nasabing police doctor,” PNP spokesperson Brigadier General Bernard Banac said.

Police Captain Case Gutierrez died on Saturday, May 30.

His wife, Doctor Shella Distor said Gutierrez died of a toxic inhalation injury which he obtained while undergoing disinfection after getting swab samples of coronavirus patients in Ultra in Pasig City.

She said Gutierrez complained of difficulty in breathing and was initially brought to the PNPGH in Camp Crame.

She said he was transferred to the Lung Center the next day and died five days after the incident.

“He died out of negligence and incompetence,” Distor said in a Facebook post.

Two more police doctors have reportedly experienced incidents similar to Gutierrez’s.

Gutierrez has three children, one is five, the other is four and the youngest is five months old.

“Paano ko to tatanggapin? How can i move on? Papaano na kami? Saan ako hihingi ng tulong to seek justice for you?Di ko matanggap how we ended up,” said Distor in another Facebook post.

Banac said investigation on the incident is still ongoing. ---(SunStar Philippines)