Eastern Samar jail warden axed, guard suspended

TACLOBAN CITY — Eastern Samar Gov. Ben Evardone has relieved the provincial jail warden and preventively suspended a jail guard over last Saturday’s escape of a ranking communist leader and two other inmates.

Evardone told The STAR that his relief of provincial jail warden Alexandrino Apellado Sr. and three-month suspension without pay of jail guard Renato Rafael Cesista Jr. are without prejudice to the investigation by a special panel into the escape of New People’s Army commander Gregorio Tadeos.

Evardone has also filed charges of "infidelity in the custody of prisoners" against Apellado and Cesista.

Tadeos, a leader of the NPA’s Efren Martirez Command operating in Eastern Samar, poked a caliber .38 revolver at Cesista.

The two other escapees — Rogelio Basbas and Benjamin Madolid — followed him after grabbing the jail guard’s service shotgun.

In a radio interview, Evardone said the provincial jail authorities committed violations when they failed to make sure that the detainees were in their respective cells that night.

In a report to the governor, Apellado said the three jailbreakers and Cesista were engaged in a drinking spree that night.

Hours later, Tadeos, alias Commander Amer, pointed a caliber .38 revolver at Cesista, with Madolid providing support.

For his part, Basibas went inside the administrative building to get Cesista’s service shotgun. He tried to shoot the jail guard but the firearm was not loaded.

The investigating panel, headed by the provincial prosecutor, was given 15 days to submit its report.

Tadeos, 45, was arrested by the military in Calbayog City last December. He faces several cases in the Oras and Borongan courts.