The Bacolod police station 7 chief yesterday denied the allegations of the family of an Overseas Filipino Worker who jumped from the third floor of the Bacolod Hall of Justice Wednesday that there may have been foul play in his death.

Hector Tomaro Villarosa , 54, of Purok Cabugwason, Barangay Mansilingan, Bacolod City, an OFW arrested for the attempted slay of a Bacolod policeman Tuesday night, jumped from the third floor of the Bacolod Hall of Justice at 11:04 a.m. Wednesday, falling on the square in the middle of the building, behind the statue Lady Justice where he died a few seconds later.

Chief Insp. Levy Pangue, Station 7 chief, Saturday said allegations by relatives of Villarosa through the media that he may have been beaten by the police, or pushed from the third floor, are not true.

He said that if Villarosa had been beaten, he could have told his family members about it when they came to see him Wednesday morning before he was brought to the Hall of Justice.

Pangue also said they have witnesses who saw the handcuffed Villarosa suddenly rush away from his police escorts, who were bringing him to his inquest hearing for frustrated murder at the Bacolod Prosecutors' Office, and jump off the third floor. In fact one his police escorts tried to grab his feet to save him.

Bacolod police director, Senior Supt Ricardo de la Paz, said no formal complaint has been filed by the family of Villarosa against the police yet, but his death is being investigated by their intelligence unit, which is standard operating procedure.

On Wednesday a Hall of Justice employee said they heard a loud thud and saw a bloodied body, sprawled on the pavement at the square, in the center of the Hall of Justice, and that it shivered a few times and then became still.

His wife, Jasmin, who rushed to the Hall of Justice with their daughters on hearing the news, said her husband worked as a mechanic in Saudi Arabia. He has three daughters and a son.

On Tuesday night Teresita Bagiu, 56, told the police that Villarosa, who is her son-in-law, had choked her. She asked that Villarosa be brought to Police Station 7 so that they could talk about a possible settlement.

The police accompanied Bagiu to her residence in Purok Kabugwason and Villarosa agreed to go with the police and his mother-in-law to Station 7 to settle their conflict.

While on board the police patrol vehicle, Villarosa suddenly stabbed PO1 Antonio Jimeno, who was seated beside him, on his back with a butcher's knife, a police report said.

The policeman was rushed to the Bacolod Adventist Medical Center and is now out of danger, Pangue said.*CPG

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