Cop relieved over detainee’s escape

CEBU, Philippines – The desk officer of Centro Police Station in Mandaue City has been relieved three days after an inmate escaped from detention on Sunday.

Police Officer 3 Victor Isidro was ordered relieved from his post by Senior Inspector Jimmy Fortes and transferred to Mandaue City Police Office.

An investigation report showed there was a need to conduct pre-charge investigation for a possible administrative liability against PO3 Isidro.

Senior Inspector Fortes told The FREEMAN a report on the incident was already forwarded to the Investigation and Detection Management Branch, which will determine whether or not PO3 Isidro committed administrative lapses that day.

"Kay bisan tuod og usa ka minute or usa ka oras nakapuga ang usa ka detainee ug nadakpan og balik, naa gyu'y liability ang jailer ana (Even if an inmate is recaptured one minute or one hour after his or her escape,  still the jailer definitely is liable)," Senior Inspector Fortes said.

Incidentally, PO3 Isidro was also the jail officer at the time John Harley Heyrosa, 20, bolted from jail last Sunday.

Heyrosa of Barangay Mantuyong, Mandaue City was arrested by the police last November 14 after they noticed during roving that his waist was bulging while he was walking on the street.

During frisking, police were able to seize from his possession a .38 caliber revolver which led to his detention at Centro Police Station.

However, last Sunday morning at around 7 a.m., PO3 Isidro was allegedly attending to a telephone call from a reporter and failed to notice that Heyrosa was already tinkering with the cell's padlock. Heyrosa succeeded in destroying it and eventually escaped.

It was the other five detainees who shouted that Heyrosa was able to escape, prompting PO3 Isidro and two others to chase him.

Heyrosa was then found hiding under the stairs at the police station and was consequently recaptured.

Yearning to transfer

In a separate development, Senior Inspector Fortes said they were glad that officials of the Senior Citizens group in the city have came up with a resolution granting them to use of the Senior Citizens building on A. Soriano Street in Barangay Centro.

Although the said building was constructed as a multi-purpose building for use by the senior citizens in the city, it has never been used by its intended users as crossing the street just to get to the said building may pose risks on the elderly.

Fortes said with the said resolution, he is now drafting a letter of intent to be endorsed to the office of Mayor Jonas Cortes asking to allow them to occupy the said building.

He said it has long been the clamor of policemen assigned at Centro to transfer to a new place because the present police station has been declared unfit for occupancy.

The Centro police have been occupying portion of the old public market in Barangay Centro, however, when a fire hit the old market in 2004, they continued to remain in the said market as no relocation site was given to them.

Police assigned there also fear the old market will totally collapse as debris from the building continues to reportedly fall to the ground each day.

The lack of a comfort room and running water also adds to the woes of the policemen.