Six cops face complaint after stockade burning

CEBU, Philippines - Six policemen from the Cebu City Police Office Public Safety Company who served as detention cell guards last Sunday will face administrative charges after a detainee tried to torch the stockade in his attempt to escape.

Clemente Jever Jr., 22, of Barangay Kasambagan, Cebu City, admitted he tried to set fire to the CCPO stockade around 2:30 a.m. last Sunday while trying to escape through the comfort room ceiling.

The fire was immediately put out by the PSC quick response team. The police initially believed that electrical misuse caused the fire before firefighters revealed that it was arson.

Following the incident, PSC chief Supt. Carmelo Dayon said detention cell guards SPO2s Celestino Alvarez and Isagani Ceniza, SPO1s Patricio Torrefil and George Samondo, PO3 Migelito Cañete and PO2 Romeo Tamosa will face administrative charges after cigarettes, a lighter and a saw were smuggled inside the stockade. 

“They will face gross negligence of duty. Those things should never have been there in the first place,” he said.

Dayon said Jever admitted he asked a visitor to smuggle a saw to him. Then he placed a lit cigarette near an electric cord to eventually start the fire. 

He started sawing through the iron bars around 5 p.m. Saturday. He was able to make a small opening and tried to squeeze through, but it was too small and he cut himself in the abdomen.

When guards suddenly called for a headcount he had no choice but to abandon his escape attempt. He claimed he forgot about the lit cigarette and it caused the fire a few minutes later.

The police only knew of the victim’s attempt to escape after one of his fellow detainees reported it to them around 7:30 p.m. Sunday.

The police are currently coordinating with the Bureau of Fire Protection for the filing of an arson case against the suspect who is now detained at the CCPO female stockade.

“He is a hardened criminal. He is not afraid to risk his life just to escape,” Dayon said. 

Jever has been detained for robbery since Feb. 27 after signing a waiver of detention.  (FREEMAN)