Escapee, given fare, surrenders

CEBU, Philippines - He escaped from the Lapu-Lapu City Police Station 3 last Saturday but because he missed his children, 27-year-old Benjamin Aparri decided to stop hiding and boarded a ship back to Cebu from Zamboanga City, with Sr./Supt. Rey Lyndon Lawas giving money for his fare.

Aparri, who was arrested for extortion and was one of the four inmates who bolted jail exactly a week ago, thought while in hiding that the police will surely catch up with him just as they caught up with alleged robbery gang leader Junjun Cabando who hid in Mindanao.

Aparri’s father also played a vital role as he was the one who persuaded his son to surrender.

It was Aparri’s father who informed Lawas that his son was willing to come home, only that they did not have enough money for his fare.

Lawas, in an interview, said they told Aparri’s father to fetch his son from Zamboanga but Aparri insisted it was not necessary, as he was really going home.

Lawas gave P1,000 to add to the P1,000 that the father was able to borrow from a family member. The inmate’s father promised to pay Lawas back as soon as he can, but the Lapu-Lapu City Police director assured him he does not have to worry about it.

Yesterday, police personnel and the father waited for Aparri at the pier.

Aparri is now back in police custody.

Aside from Aparri, the other inmates who escaped were Christopher Cernal and Albert Torregosa who were immediately arrested hours after their escape. The other one, Junry Iran,was arrested last Wednesday evening in the house of his uncle in barangay Canduman, Mandaue city after his mother called the police.

 Aparri told reporters yesterday that it took him days to decide to surrender because he feared that the police might hurt him for escaping. He also denied that he led the group in destroying the detention cell’s iron bars. He claimed it was Cernal who often kicked the cell upon seeing that the iron bars were starting to deteriorate.

 Apari also asked for forgiveness from PO2 Jude Salazar, the jailer. Salazar was relieved and is now facing investigation for grave misconduct at the Police Regional Office-7.

 Despite their escape, the four will not face additional charges according to Lawas, because the court has yet to decide on their cases. — /JPM (FREEMAN)