Bolts from Jail in 2012 Mayor sets P100T bounty on CPDRC escapee

CEBU, Philippines – Tuburan Mayor Democrito Diamante has placed a P100,000 bounty for the arrest of inmate Johnny Ylanan who escaped from the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center.

“Willing ko mohatag og P100,000 para siya madakpan,” Diamante said before officials of the Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines who attended the Cebu Provincial Peace and Order Council meeting at the Capitol Social Hall recently.

Escorted by CPDRC guards, Ylanan was able to escape in 2012 while he was purportedly in the toilet. He was allowed by the court to attend the burial of his grandmother then.

But almost three years after the escape, even after several attempts to locate the suspect, Diamante said these were still not successful as the escapee is reportedly like a “robinhood” to his neighbors.

“Way motug-an kay Robinhood man ‘na siya didto, manghatag og kwarta,” Diamante said.

Diamante raised the concern on Ylanan after drug-related crimes soared in his town, which he blamed partly on the escapee’s presence. Ylanan was allegedly a bigtime drug pusher.

The mayor said livestock animals are the common victims of theft usually perpetuated by drug users.

For his part, Superintendent Rodolfo Albotra, chief of the Provincial Intelligence Branch, said theft and robbery cases were previously high and were always blamed on poverty.

Today though, people who are also on drugs, when out of money, resort to committing crimes, he added.

Albotra said ground operations are underway for Ylanan’s recapture. He also asked local government units and the public to cooperate, saying the solution to illegal drugs does not only rely on the arrest of drug pushers. — (FREEMAN)