Teen robbery suspect walks out on Tondo cops

MANILA, Philippines – A 16-year-old robbery suspect walked out of the Moriones, Tondo police station Sunday night by mingling with detainees’ visitors before slipping out unnoticed.

Superintendent Jose Mario Espino immediately ordered a probe of the incident to determine the liability of SPO2 Roberto Arbilo, who was the duty officer at the time of the escape.

The boy was arrested by the police Sunday afternoon after he snatched the earrings of a woman shopper in Divisoria. After the investigation, he was booked for robbery and was to be brought to an inquest fiscal when policemen noticed he was missing.

Espino said it was easy for the boy to escape because the police station does not have a proper withholding center for minors. Throughout the investigation process, the boy was reportedly allowed to stay outside the detention facility, thus making it easy for him to mingle with the crowd at the police station.

“We could not detain the suspect at the jail for adults. This is violative of his rights as a minor,” Espino said.

The usual process is to bring the suspect for inquest after investigation, then transfer him to the local office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Espino said, adding minor offenders are usually remanded to the youth center for rehabilitation.

Meanwhile, Espino coordinated with the parents of the boy to bring their son back to the police. – Nestor Etolle