Father-of-one dies after he’s ‘forced to do 300 push-ups as punishment’

A dad-of-one died after police forced him to do 300 push-ups as punishment for breaking a coronavirus lockdown curfew, it is claimed.

Darren Penaredondo, 28, went out after 6pm to buy a bottle of water and was taken to a town square and forced to do exercise with other caught breaking the rules in General Trias, Philippines.

They were told to do 100 pumps, a cross between a push-up and a squat, but because they failed to do it in sync officers forced them to do 200 more, it is alleged.

Darren, who had a heart condition, could barely walk afterwards, and later began convulsing at home, where he collapsed and died, his cousin Adrian Luceña claims.

Footage shows Darren in obvious pain and struggling to stand up before he died.

Darren had to be helped home by a fellow quarantine violator, returning on the morning of April 2 following the gruelling punishment, his family claims.

His worried wife, Reichelyn Balce, had been up all night waiting for him.

She said his fatigue was made worse by thirst and hunger, and at one point he could only crawl on the floor.

The devastated widow said: “When he came home on (April 2), around 8 am, he was assisted by his fellow quarantine violator who was arrested with him in the mobile.

“I asked if he was beaten up, he just smiled but it was obvious he was in pain.

“That whole day, he struggled to walk, he was just crawling on the floor just to get up.

“But I did not take that seriously because he said his knees and thighs were aching, as was his body.”

She added: “When he asked for help when he was going to pee, he started to have seizures.

“He convulsed and his face turned violet. His heart stopped beating.

“I asked our neighbours to give him CPR, afterwards his heartbeat returned.”

Darren was taken to hospital after being revived, but he died the following day.

In a post translated by CNN Philippines, Darren’s cousin, Adrian, wrote on Facebook : “He said they were told to do pumping 100 times.

“They needed to be synchronised so they kept repeating it and ended up doing 300.

“He started to convulse, but we were able to revive him at home.

“Then his body failed so we revived him again, but he was already comatose.

“He also told me he fell several times while they were asked to do pumping exercises.”

Darren’s family has not yet been given a death certificate stating a cause of death.

Tejero village chief Rodolfo Cruz Jnr said Darren was one of the quarantine violators held on April 1.

He claims Darren was transferred to the custody of General Trias police officers that same night.