5 inmates escape from Caloocan jail

Taking advantage of the heavy downpour and the apparent sloppy security arrangements, five detainees literally slipped out of the District Police Intelligence Unit (DPIU) holding cell in Caloocan City using a common sandwich spread as lubricant and out to freedom early yesterday in Caloocan City.

The jailbreak prompted Chief Superintendent Leopoldo Bataoil, Northern Police District (NPD) director, to immediately relieve DPIU chief Superintendent Maximino Valiente for command responsibility.

The escapees, identified as Salvador Eugenio, of Longos, Malabon City; Faustino Sampang, of Sangandaan, Caloocan City; Marvin Rubio, of 12th Avenue, Caloocan City; Agutin Genesis, of Dagat-Dagatan Avenue, Malabon City; and Romeo Villaruz with no indicated address, literally squeezed out of their holding cell by forcibly destroying the welded iron bars and lubricating the small opening with ordinary margarine.

Police said the detainees may have also likely lubricated their bodies before wriggling out of the cell through the gap in the bars.

They easily opened another iron door with no padlock at the back of the building then scaled a five-foot concrete fence, out into an alley on Langaray street at around 2:30 a.m.

At the time of the jailbreak, the suspects were being held at the DPIU for various crimes including robbery with physical injuries, illegal possession of bladed weapons, alarm and scandal and slight physical injuries in relation to the Women and Child Abuse Act (RA 7610).

PO2 Roy Anthony Oropesa, duty desk officer, said he did not notice anything because of the heavy downpour.

In his report to Bataoil, Senior Superintendent Virgilio Espija, deputy director for administration, said escapees were actually due for commitment to their respective jails within Camanava.

"Because of a more stringent procedure being applied by the courts, there has been a significant delay in turning them over to the jails," Espija said.

The official said a follow-up team has been sent to hunt down the fugitives.

The initial investigation conducted by Senior Inspector Leonardo Arce, Scene of the Crime Operations (SOCO) team leader, and his men showed that two iron bars, weakly spot welded, were bent and detached, by a another hard object. The suspects used the gap as their escape route.

Arce said the padlocks were untouched.

Also recovered at the scene as evidence were splotched of margarine on the iron bars and six strands of hair from the escapees.

Arce recommended all duty officers for further investigation and be subjected to a polygraph test. – With Pete Laude