Court issues hold order vs 3 escaped Taiwanese inmates

MANILA, Philippines - A Parañaque court yesterday issued a hold departure order (HDO) against the three accused Taiwanese drug peddlers who escaped from the city jail early Saturday morning.

Presiding Judge Danilo Suarez of Regional Trial Court Branch 259 also issued a warrant for the arrest of Zong Long, Cheung Wai Leung, and Chan Tong Lou.

Meanwhile, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) director Rosendo Dial is offering P50,000 for the recapture of each of the fugitives. No reward has been offered for the arrest of Jail Officer 1 Richard Sillatoc, who was caught on surveillance video helping them escape. Sillatoc and the three inmates are the subjects of a police manhunt.

According to Floren Alumbres, acting clerk of court, the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Bureau of Immigration were immediately given copies of the HDO.

In the document, Alumbres said the court emphasized that the three are facing non-bailable offenses for violating Sections 5 and 11 of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act, which prohibits the trade and possession of illegal narcotics.

Dial said the three inmates were detained at the jail’s fourth floor and Sillatoc allegedly helped them bypass guards assigned at each floor until they reached the guards’ barracks, where they changed clothes, and escaped through the jail’s main gate.

Dial has relieved all jail personnel on duty at the time of the escape, including officer-in-charge Jail Senior Inspector Eric Agagon. He said administrative and criminal charges will be filed against Sillatoc and all personnel on duty at the time of the incident. – Aie Balagtas See, Cecille Suerte Felipe