5 Negros inmates escape

BACOLOD CITY — Five inmates escaped from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) detention cell in Escalante City, 102 kilometers south from here, and carted away three high-powered firearms of their jail guards last Wednesday.

This brought to 10 the number of inmates who bolted from the jails of Escalante and Kabankalan in a span of four days.

The five Escalante escapees were identified as Eddie Gelogo and Jose Castilla, both charged with murder; Jerry Vivas, accused of violating Presidential Decree 1866 (illegal possession of firearms); and Charlie Bisor and Catalino Trejeros, facing charges of frustrated murder and qualified theft, respectively.

Seven inmates actually bolted the BJMP detention cell at about 9 p.m. last Wednesday. However, two of them, Andy Barot, a homicide suspect, and Aldon Ampaso, who is facing a drug-related case, surrendered hours after the jailbreak.

The escapees fled with an M-16 assault rifle, an M2 Carbine and a 12-gauge shotgun.

Negros Occidental police director Vicente Ponteras said he has received information that the escapees and two jail guards were engaged in a drinking bout prior to the jailbreak.

Last June 29, four inmates — identified as Randy Tapdasan, Marcelo Miason, Danny Ignacio and Michael Mahinay — bolted the Kabankalan jail by destroying the steel padlock and a handcuff attached to the steel door of their detention cell.

Another Escalante detainee, rape suspect Edilito Tanghian, also escaped that day.