Drug convict escapes from Cebu City Jail

CEBU, Philippines – An inmate convicted for possession of illegal drugs escaped from the Cebu City Jail at around 2 p.m. last Tuesday.

The jail warden believes that Reynard Marturillas, 44, escaped by hiding among the garbage that were collected by the City Government.

He was committed to the city jail in July 12, 2007 for possession of illegal drugs and for concealing deadly weapon and was convicted just last June 8.

He was sentenced to 12 to 15 years imprisonment and is set to be transferred to the New Bilibid Prison.

Insp. Anacleto Dusaran, city jail's chief of custodial and rehabilitation, said they realized that someone was missing when they conducted a final headcount at 8 p.m. They later learned that Marturillas was gone.

A television report stated the suspect asked permission to take a bath as he already smelled bad.

Dusaran added that they already inspected all the buildings and found nothing that would indicate that the suspect used something to escape.

It is also impossible for him to jump over the high fence without the authorities detecting him, stressed Dusaran.

Because of this, the jail guards theorize that Marturillas hid himself among the rubbish at the back of the garbage truck owned by the Cebu City Government's Department of Public Services (DPS).

The truck, according to Dusaran, drops by the jail facility everyday to collect garbage.

Supt. Waldemar Villanueva, City Jail warden, immediately dispatched two teams to locate the escapee but they have yet to find him.

Marturillas was detained at the 2nd floor of the Drug Offenders Building. He is a resident of Sitio Baca, Barangay Banilad.

Dusaran said investigation will be conducted against the jail guards to determine if they are liable. They were reportedly very lax as they allowed the truck to leave without inspection.

They coordinated with DPS by getting the names of four garbage collectors who could have possibly connived with the escapee.

They are also getting in touch with the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology in Negros Oriental because the escapee has relatives in Guihulngan town. (THE FREEMAN)