Filipino man dies after the police force him to do 300 squats for breaking Covid curfew

A man in the Philippines has died after being forced by police to do 300 squat-like exercises as punishment for breaking the country's strict Covid curfew rules.

Darren Manaog Penaredondo was allegedly collared by hardline officers after he popped out to buy some water from the local shops.

"There is no physical punishment for those found violating curfew rules, only lectures from officers. He told local media that if officers were found to have enforced the punishment, it would not be tolerated," said Marlo Solero, police chief of General Trias City.

"He went home on Friday at 8 am and he couldn't walk properly," his brother Adrian Lucena wrote on Facebook.

"After Saturday morning he had a convulsion." Peñaredondo died at 10 pm on Saturday.

(With inputs from agencies)