Detainee killed in Rizal jailbreak

MANILA, Philippines - A detainee was killed while two others were wounded in a shootout with responding policemen minutes after they bolted jail in Teresa, Rizal yesterday.

Another detainee was recaptured while the fifth one made good his escape and is now the subject of a massive police manhunt.

Mario Cruz, 50, sustained multiple gunshot wounds in the body while Garry Borja, 35, and Reynaldo Tampepe, 34, sustained minor injuries.

A detainee, Norman Pollarca, 24, was captured in a brief chase but Jomer Cruz, who is facing three drug-related charges managed to elude his pursuers.

Superintendent Amado Concepcion, the chief of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in Teresa town in Rizal was sacked hours after the incident.

Senior Superintendent Manuel Cesar Prieto, Rizal police provincial director said the five detainees, facing drugs and murder charges in Taytay town bolted jail by destroying the exhaust fan at the ceiling of the District Jail building located inside the municipal compound of Teresa town at about 2 a.m. yesterday.

Prieto said the detainees, using an improvised knife (pointed fork), took hostage Jail Officer 1 Lito Panganuran and disarmed his companion, JO1 Roy Bangawan.

The detainees destroyed the cyclone wire surrounding the jail compound, and commandeered a tricycle and directed its driver to drive toward nearby Morong town.

However, the beleaguered jail guards sought the help of the nearby elements of the Teresa police who immediately gave chase and caught up with the escapees in Morong.

Cruz, who is facing five counts of drug charges, opened fire at the pursuing lawmen, who returned his fire.

Borja, Tampepe and Pollarca were cornered after a brief chase, said Prieto.

Borja and Pollarca are facing drug charges in Taytay town while Tampepe was charged with rape. The trio are now back in jail.

Calabarzon police director Chief Superintendent Samuel Pagdilao Jr. directed Prieto to join the BJMP team in tracking down Jomer Cruz who was charged with three counts of illegal drugs possession.

Upon receipt of the jailbreak report, BJMP chief Director Rosendo Dial sacked Concepcion under his command’s “one strike policy.”

Meanwhile, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo yesterday ordered the relief of the warden of the Teresa District Jail in the province of Rizal, following the escape of five inmates early yesterday morning.

Robredo ordered the immediate relief of Teresa District Jail warden Superintendent Amado Concepcion, who was immediately replaced by Chief Inspector Melchor Antigua as officer-in-charge of the district jail.

The DILG chief said the incident yesterday was the third jailbreak in the country this year.

The first was in Cotabato City Jail last Jan. 20 where one was recaptured out of the 16 escapees, while the second was in Caloocan City on Jan. 21 with three escapees.  – With Cecille Suerte Felipe