2 more prisoners escape from police custody

Two more prisoners escaped from detention over the weekend, prompting allegations that the Manila Police District (MPD) is getting lax in its custody of prisoners.

A prisoner ecaped from the MPD headquarters while another eluded a police guard in a government hospital over the weekend.

The two incidents followed the mass jailbreak of 17 detainees at a Tondo police station last Friday.

In a report submitted to Superintendent Romulo Sapitula, chief of the MPD’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (CIDU), Theft and Robbery Section chief Superintendent Rodolfo Llorca identified the escapee at the MPD headquarters as Jayson Roque, 27, who is facing robbery charges.

Roque and several detainees were allowed to take a bath in separate comfort rooms inside the headquarters building under the watch of a non-uniformed personnel, Juanita Soriano.

Roque reportedly sneaked upstairs beside the comfort room. Soriano shouted for help but responding policemen failed to find Roque despite massive search inside the MPD building.

Meanwhile last Sunday, a murder suspect escaped while confined at the Quezon City General Hospital.

Dexter Herrera, 34, was confined at the Quezon City General Hospital for stab wounds after he was mauled by irate residents after he shot to death his victims.

When his police guard, PO2 Domingo Ortilla of the Jose Abad Santos police station, abandoned his post after completing his 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. shift without waiting for his reliever, Herrera saw the chance to escape with the aid of his live-in partner.

Criminal and administrative charges are now being prepared against those involved in the escape of the two prisoners. — Nestor Etolle