MANILA, Philippines - At least 10 inmates escaped from the Mandaluyong City police detention center just before noon yesterday.
Eastern Police District (EPD) director Chief Superintendent Miguel Laurel ordered the administrative relief of Chief Inspector Numeriano Gabuya, chief of the station investigation and detective management section (SIDMS), and jailers SPO1 Julius Piñera, PO2 Julius Payoyo and PO2 Dante Alariao.
Laurel also created three tracker teams to conduct a metropolis-wide manhunt for the 10 inmates.
Superintendent Ranny Tapat, chief of the District Special Operations Unit (DSOU), identified the inmates as Reynaldo Elligo, Joel Capule, Rolando Palmenco, Henry Andales, Valentino Gianan, Mark Aguia, Melgar Quinones, Rommel Abarca, Mark Louie Burilla, and Gabriel Gonzales.
In his report to Laurel, Tapat said the inmates took advantage of the 11 a.m. to 12 noon visiting hour by removing the iron grills of their cell at the ground floor of the three-story building in the city hall compound.
“There are 28 inmates in the fully booked jail. Nobody sounded the alarm and policemen were not able to notice the incident,” Laurel said in an interview.
Tapat said those who escaped were charged with petty crimes like alarm and scandal, physical injuries, drug possession, theft and grave threats.
Laurel said policemen in charge of the jail are liable for criminal charges like infidelity in the custody of a detainee or prisoner and grave misconduct.