3 injured in daring raid to free Paranaque detainee

Three people, including two jail officers, were hurt and two prisoners escaped when at least six heavily armed men stormed the Parañaque City Jail in an attempt to spring out an inmate before dawn yesterday.

Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) Public Information Office head Arturo Alit identified the injured guards as Alex Grande and Jomarie Panggalan. Both are now in critical condition at the Olivarez General Hospital.

One of the raiders, identified as Jason Villacorta, incurred multiple bullet wounds in different parts of his body and is in serious condition at the Parañaque Community Hospital.

Alit said the attack occurred at about 2:45 a.m. when men on board two cars and an L-300 van broke in undetected through the jail's side entrance near Valley 1 Subdivision, Parañaque.

The group then ordered the guard on duty, JO1 Yul Lansen, at gunpoint to release detainee Gerry Pipino, a native of Surigao and Villacorta's cousin. He was arrested last year in connection with a kidnapping for ransom case.

Lansen accompanied the suspects to Pipino's cell and while he was about to be taken out, Grande and Panggalan spotted them, resulting in a shootout which lasted for over 15 minutes. Other jail guards who heard the shooting quickly provided back up for the two.

Seeing Villacorta wounded, the suspects fled on board their vehicles and abandoned Pipino. Witnesses said they were headed to Coastal Road.

Two inmates, Artemio Malina, charged with murder, frustrated murder and attempted murder and Ronelo Erdajue, being tried for kidnapping for ransom, took advantage of the situation and escaped when they saw the prison door left open.

BJMP-NCR assistant regional director Senior Superintendent Temestocles Jamisolamin relieved Parañaque City Jail warden Chief Inspector Allan Iran and ordered a deeper probe on the attack.

The attackers and the two fugitives are now the objects of a manhunt. -- Mathew Estabillo and Marvin Sy