After jailbreak, Bohol Jail warden relieved

TAGBILARAN CITY, Philippines – Jail Warden Reynan Torreon confirmed his relief from duty effective May 18, a day after the three inmates bolted the Bohol District Jail.

Torreon, who is now on floating status at the regional office of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology in Cebu, was replaced by Sr. Insp. Richard Laure in the post.

Torreon was the first to go after Governor Edgar Chatto hinted during the weekly radio program, Kita Ug Ang Gobernador, last Friday that heads will roll following the escape of three inmates attributed to the guards’ remiss in their duties.

Torreon, who was in Cebu City with mission order during the incident, said he could have done something to prevent the escape if he was here. He said the jail officer monitoring the CCTV camera could have sounded the alarm to warn the jail guards at posts 1 and 2 when Aniscal’s group disarmed the four jail officers at the sentinel area of Gate 6.

He admitted, though, that it might have been dangerous also, considering that the inmates who were determined to escape would resort to violent options, but he however said that it could have been just right to fire at the inmates while still heading towards the getaway vehicle.

The escapees should have been immobilized and that the guards should have realized that the warning shot would already be futile then because the inmates had already got out of the compound, said Torreon who also suspected that some jail guards may have been involved in sneaking in the .45-caliber pistol that Aniscal used against the jail officers at Gate 6.

The incident made provincial officials realize that there must be something wrong with the arrangement between the provincial government and the BJMP in running the BDJ, which consisted of two sets of personnel—one comprising casual and regular employees of the provincial government, and the other from the BJMP.

Provincial Legal Officer John Mitchelle Boiser, who heads Capitol’s fact-finding team created by Chatto, started on Tuesday the review of the MOA between the provincial government, entered into by the previous administration, and the BJMP to draw the line of the duties and responsibilities of the two groups of personnel to determine who will take responsibility in the incident.

Boiser said the CCTV footage will be significant in the fact-finding, adding that the investigating team might schedule an inspection at the BDJ. He said that a faction between Capitol-paid jail personnel and BJMP personnel have become evident. —(FREEMAN)