Seven of 18 Cavite escapees back in jail

GENERAL MARIANO ALVAREZ, Cavite — Seven of the 18 detainees, who escaped from the municipal jail here Monday night, are back in jail.

Five of them surrendered while the two others were recaptured during manhunt operations by joint elements of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) and the local police.

Ramil Ramos, 23, who faces charges of possession of illegal drugs, surrendered to this writer and this town’s jail warden, Chief Inspector Arneldo Jalimbawa, at about 2:15 p.m. yesterday at the Metropolis shopping mall in Alabang, Muntinlupa City.

Aside from Ramos, the other escapees now in the custody of the local BJMP are Ernesto Alimon, who gave himself up to this town’s Mayor Walter Echevaria after the jailbreak; Sherman Gaton, who surrendered to Jalimbawa; Artemio Roncal and Numeriano Solis, who were both recaptured the other day; and Arnold Candaza and the escapees’ leader, Angelito Ardidon, who both yielded to GMA 7 broadcaster Arnold Clavio yesterday.

Jalimbawa, who was relieved after the jailbreak but then assigned to head a recovery team, believes that the remaining escapees will eventually surrender as he assured them of their safety.

In fact, he said seven more escapees have sent surrender feelers to Echevaria. — Rene Alviar