NORTH COTABATO, Philippines - The provincial police and the Army’s 602nd Brigade sealed off Thursday dawn the route connecting the province to Bukidnon following the escape Wednesday afternoon of 20 inmates at a penitentiary in Valencia City.
Bukidnon is just three towns away from Kidapawan City, the seat of the North Cotabato provincial government.
The inmates first ransacked the armory of the Bukidnon provincial jail after a two-hour livelihood lesson in one of the buildings in the facility, subdued the guards on-duty, before jumping over the fence at about 3 p.m. Wednesday
One of the 20 inmates, Jamal Sambarani, has been captured by pursuing policemen and jail guards after a two-hour chase.
Senior Superintendent Reuben Theodore Sindac, spokesman of the Philippine National Police, also said inmates Albert Espinosa and Roel Llacuna have been re-arrested by police tracker teams.
The escapees took with them six shotguns and five 9 millimeter pistols.
Brig. Gen. Ademar Tomaro, commanding officer of the 602nd Brigade, said soldiers manning checkpoints along portions of the Sayre Highway in North Cotabato’s Carmen town, located at the border of the province and Bukidnon, are now inspecting vehicles plying the route, which connects the two provinces.
“Our operation is in support of the efforts of the police to locate the inmates that escaped from a jail in Bukidnon,†Tomaro said.
The North Cotabato provincial police also deployed policemen at the entrance to Carmen town from Bukidnon to restrain the escapees from possibly entering North Cotabato. (with a report from Dennis Carcamo)