18 inmates bolt Cavite town jail

GENERAL MARIANO ALVAREZ, Cavite — Eighteen inmates escaped from a jail in this town at 9:30 p.m. last Monday, police said yesterday.

An escapee, Ernesto Alimon, was immediately captured by jail guards of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) after a brief chase.

Inspector Arneldo Halimbawa of the BJMP told reporters yesterday the detainees escaped through a hole in the jail’s ceiling which they made by sawing off the iron grills.

After going through the opening, the escapees jumped over a concrete wall at the back of the jail and landed in the main building of the complex, he said.

Halimbawa said the two jail guards on duty at the time — Jail Officers 1 Mariano Maligud and Romeo Adion — will be charged with infidelity in the custody of prisoners.

The 17 other detainees remained at large. They are Anthony Laguna, who is in jail for theft; James Mendoza, murder; Henry Pasacay, possession of illegal drugs; Arnold Candaza, illegal possession of firearms; Melo Sorera, attempted homicide; Joel Marasigan, robbery; Ramil Ramos, Sherman Gatan, Christopher Robiago, and Rommel Soriano, all for possession of illegal drugs;

Alfonso Sandigan, rape; Angelito Ardidan, murder; Eduardo Reluna, possession of illegal drugs; Jeffrey Bato, theft; Numeriano Solis, robbery; Artemio Roncal, possession of illegal drugs; and Loreto Egano, who is detained for rape. — With Cecille Suerte Felipe