‘Trusted’ inmate bolts Valenzuela jail

MANILA, Philippines - An inmate who is a “trustee” or an “aide” of a jail guard escaped from the Valenzuela City Jail before dawn yesterday.

A source told The STAR that inmate Prudito Capones Jr. escaped through the jail’s rooftop about 2 a.m. “using a key” supposedly under the care of his “boss,” Jail Officer 1 Ferdinand Bruzo.

Being a jail aide, Capones was allowed to stay out of his cell until 5 p.m. but Bruzo “allowed him to stay beyond that time,” jail officer-in-charge Superintendent Flory Sanchez told The STAR in a separate interview.

Sanchez, as OIC, temporarily replaced Superintendent Ferdinand Fontillo, the jail warden when Capones’ escape happened.

“We are now checking why Bruzo allowed that to happen,” Sanchez said.

According to the source, Capones freely roamed the jail compound until about 2 a.m. Then he climbed the stairs connecting the fifth floor and the rooftop. He went down using scaffolding that construction workers set up for the renovation of the city jail.

Sanchez refused to confirm if Capones obtained the key under Bruzo’s care and used it to open the gate at the rooftop of the jail building.

Capones is facing multiple criminal charges for allegedly stealing motorcycles. He is also allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade.