Deaf-mute detainee escapes from Caloocan jail

A deaf-mute prisoner who faces rape charges escaped from his detention cell at the Caloocan City police station’s Jail Management Section (JMS) Friday afternoon.

John Patric Caro, 21, was charged with rape before the sala of Caloocan City Judge Teresa de Guzman-Alvarez, who issued an order last Feb. 20 directing the station JMS, headed by Senior Police Officer 4 Crisencio Paule, to transfer Caro to the custody of the Caloocan City Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.

Paule failed to carry out the judge’s order, and sources said the station jail guards allow Caro to stay outside his cell because they "employed" him as their errand boy.

The STAR tried to contact Paule yesterday, but Senior Police Officer 1 Jaime Basa said neither Paule nor his men were around "because it’s a Sunday."

Caloocan City police chief Superintendent William Macavinta ordered a thorough investigation into the incident and that charges of "infidelity in the custody of prisoner" be filed against Paule and his men, who were on duty when Caro escaped.

Macavinta also directed Chief Inspector Crisencio Galvez, who heads the station’s intelligence and investigation unit, to shed light on the incident.

Northern Police District director Chief Superintendent Pedro Tango also ordered his intelligence and investigation division chief Superintendent Rafael Santiago to direct all JMS personnel to immediately report to his office "for formal investigation." – Pete Laude