Armed “goon” bolts stockade

CEBU, Philippines - One of the five armed men arrested by the Dumanjug police two weeks ago on suspicion of being armed hirelings of a politician was able to escape from detention early morning yesterday.

Leomar Angana, 25, and a resident of Barangay Candabong, Dumanjug, reportedly left the stockade in the Dumanjug Police Station by destroying the ceiling past 1 a.m.

Angana then crawled to the comfort room of the police station where he detached three jalousie blades then escaped.

Other detainees failed to follow Angana as the portion of the ceiling destroyed was only big enough for him to pass through.  Aside from Angana there were 15 other detainees inside the stockade.

SPO3 Felipe Vibar said that SPO2 Florencio Clarion, jail officer on-duty, alleged that he went to the comfort room around 1 a.m. and all detainees were still complete as he made a headcount.

It was around 2 a.m. when police noticed that jalousie blades at the comfort room had been detached and he found out that Angana was gone.

Vibar said they received information from other detainees that Angana was planning to escape but no one knew how.

“Mukaon na lang kuno gani og tag-lima ka hungit aron mudaot gituyo gyud niya og pagamay nga gamay na man to daan,” Vibar said in a phone interview.

Cebu Provincial Police Office Director Patrocinio Comendador already directed Insp. Robert Lucernas to investigate the incident.

Angana and his cousin, George Angana, 37; Jimmy de la Cerna, 19; his cousin Bobby de la Cerna, 24; and Roel Gutana, 22, all from Dumanjug town were arrested two weeks ago while resting in a shanty in Barangay Pawa.

Confiscated from them were two KG9 pistols with two magazines and 20 rounds, a .45 cal. pistol with a magazine loaded with three rounds, a .357 cal. revolver with four rounds, a hand grenade and two knives.

Bobby has a pending arrest warrant for murder issued by Regional Trial Court Branch 26 Judge Maximo Perez.

Angana also recently posted bail for illegal possession of firearms, frustrated murder and illegal possession of drugs.

Dumanjug vice mayoralty candidate Efren Gica of the Liberal Party and incumbent Mayor Nelson Garcia, who is seeking reelection, have pointed to each other as the one who hired the armed men.

Garcia also asked the CPPO to further investigate the escape.

Prior to their arrest, Garcia claimed that the LP has been using the Regional Mobile Group and the Regional Public Safety Battalion of the Police Regional Office-7 to let LP’s armed men pass through checkpoints.  (FREEMAN)