If you thought the enforcement of COVID regulations was harsh over here, then spare a thought for the poor bastards who can’t even leave their homes after 6pm in the Philippines.

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One man who broke this rule was forced by police to do 300 squats as punishment and ended up dying, reports the Guardian.

Darren Penaredondo, 28, is said to have gone out to buy a bottle of water from a local store in Cavite on April 1. Police allegedly ordered him to 100 pump squats – a cross between a squat and a push-up – in the municipal hall after catching him outside shortly after 6pm.

The dad-of-one ‘struggled to walk’ after officers ‘made him and a number of other people start over again three times’ after the group failed to do them correctly and in sync. They were made to do three sets – a total of 300 pump squats.

Naturally, officials have denied the accusations, despite pump squats becoming a common form of punishment in the Philippines during the pandemic.

Devastated wife Reichelyn wrote on Facebook:

When he came home on Friday, 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 even filmed him, clearly having no clue how serious his condition was (I doubt he realised it either):

Darren started having seizures and lost consciousness later that day. He was revived but died at home on April 3, two days after being forced to do the squats.

Who even knew that doing 300 squats could kill you? It sounds like Darren died from something called ‘Rhabdomyolysis’, which is described as follows:

Jeez, shooting the poor guy on the spot for breaking quarantine would have been quicker and kinder. Which is surprisingly not the mandate already, given what a ruthless prick the President of the Philippines is.

RIP Darren and thoughts & prayers with his family and friends. Somehow I don’t think justice will be done but with any luck they’ll at least allow future COVID rule-breakers to warm up before doing their squats.

To meet the US soldier pardoned by the President of the Philippines after murdering a transgender woman, click HERE.