MANILA (UPDATE) — A police officer in Maasin City, Southern Leyte is facing homicide charges following the death of a person in their custody.

Videos that went viral showed Police Staff Sergeant Ronald Gamayon of the Southern Leyte Provincial Police Office (SLPPO) allegedly mauling Gilbert Ranes, 34, on a busy street in Maasin City.

In one video, three men in civilian clothes and a police officer in uniform were seen dragging Ranes into a police vehicle.

In that video, a witness could be heard saying Ranes was being treated "like a pig." His sister said some witnesses supposedly heard Ranes calling for help and saying, "Sakto na, Sir, naa pa ko'y tulo ka anak." (Enough, Sir. I still have three children.)

In another video, a man could be heard saying, "Tiwasan na laman na." (Just finish him off.)

Ranes was declared dead when he was taken to the hospital, with severe head trauma as cause, according to a post-mortem examination.

Gamayon, 36, was assigned at the Provincial Intelligence Unit of the SLPPO when he responded to an alleged theft incident on Dec. 9.

The incident, which resulted in Ranes' arrest, occurred at about 7 :30 p.m. in Barangay Mantahan in Maasin City.

According to the SLPPO, Ranes had entered a bakery in the said barangay and allegedly stole a mobile phone.

Some civilians grabbed him and beat up Ranes. Gamayon, who was off-duty at the time, "pacified the crowd" and took custody of the victim.

Maasin City police personnel then helped transport Ranes to their police station to book him when the victim complained that he had difficulty breathing.

“It is very clear that there were lapses by the Maasin police in police operational procedures on the treatment of suspects,” SLPPO chief Col. Hector Enage said.

“I am very serious. Someone died. Someone must be accountable," he added.

Following the incident, the PNP Police Regional Office-8 (PRO-8) said Gamayon was placed under restrictive custody with his service firearm seized.

Other police personnel who responded to the incident were also reassigned to SLPPO.

The provincial internal affairs service of SLPPO is probing the matter, with the regional office also creating a Special Investigation Task Group Ranes.

"Rest assured that this PRO will closely monitor this case or similar incidents involving officers under my watch. Here in Eastern Visayas, we do not tolerate misfits among our rank and file. We always see to it that truth prevails," PRO-8 director BGen. Rommel Francisco Marbil said in an official statement.

Ranes' family is now calling for justice over his death.

"We want justice served for our cousin, and we hope this issue reaches Senator Raffy Tulfo. He beat my cousin even if he did not fight back," said Jerome Maraon Paler, Ranes' cousin.

Ranes had no permanent job, and raised his family by tattooing clients and sometimes going to the sea to catch fish.

His wife works as a housekeeper and their children are in Grade 8, Grade 6 and Grade 4. They live in an abandoned comfort room of an old lodging house after typhoon Odette destroyed their house.

— Reports from Sharon Evite; and Rhonechelle Cabodbod, Southern Leyte Times