Police widen search for escapees

CEBU, Philippines - The Lapu-Lapu City Police Office has sought the help of other police offices to recapture two detainees who bolted out of the detention cell of Police Station 3 last Saturday morning.

LCPO has sought the help of the Cebu Provincial Police Office, Cebu City Police Office, Mandaue City Police Office, Philippine Coast Guard- Cebu, and the PNP-Maritime group.

The PCG-Cebu and the PNP-Maritime were alerted because one of two, Benjamin Aparri Jr., 27, hails from Mindanao. He was residing in Barangay Labangon, Cebu City, when arrested for robbery and extortion.

The other escapee, Junrey Iran, 21, of Barangay Pajo, Lapu-Lapu City was arrested earlier for theft.

Insp. Donald Geniston, former chief of Police Station 3, told The FREEMAN that they went to the houses of the two here in Cebu to encourage their families to help them surrender as soon as possible.

A team of policemen also went to Pinamungajan and Malabuyoc towns to search for Iran, but to no avail. They also did not find him at his house in Labangon, but learned that he actually went to Labangon just after the police went there.

“Amo na lang gitugon ang pamilya nga sa Pinamungajan Police Station na lang mo-surrender,” Geniston said in a phone interview.

Geniston was relieved as chief of Police Station 3 pending investigation of the escape.

The two other escapees, Albert Torregoza, 24, and Christopher Cernal, 20, were arrested at their residences in Cordova town and Barangay Gun-ob, Lapu-Lapu just hours after they escaped.

Investigation revealed that the four escaped by removing an iron bar from the door of the detention cell when the policeman on guard, PO2 Jude Salazar, left the facility to take his breakfast. The detention cell of Police Station 3 is located at Poblacion public market but the station itself is located at a distance away at the Hoops Dome.

The four reportedly removed an iron bar while Salazar was out of the station and bought something outside. The four were arrested last month.

Salazar and Geniston will be assigned at the Personnel Holding Unit of LLCPO until such time investigation of the incident is completed. (FREEMAN)