His second escape Arrested murder suspect flees by jumping off ship

HILONGOS, LEYTE, Philippines – The suspect in the massacre of a councilman and his two sons was arrested by the police in San Miguel, Bulacan but was able to escape from police custody by jumping off a passenger ship while en route from Manila to Cebu at dawn yesterday (Nov. 28).

It was the second breakaway by Ronald Merino, a native of Hilongos town of Leyte, who was one of four suspects in the gunning down of Brgy. Imelda (Hilongos) Councilman Vicente Lor and two sons, aged 4 and 6, last May 7. The suspects fled after the killing and went into hiding.

Ronald’s first escape was last May 8, the day after the killing, when the Hilongos Police, led by Chief Insp. Virgilio Plaza, raided the hideout of the suspects in the town’s hinterland barangay. He managed to elude arrest by jumping through the window of the hut.

His father, Romualdo, who was among the suspects in the gruesome killing, was arrested also a month after but was able to escape from the municipal detention cell last June 2.

Last July 5, the Regional Trial Court-branch 18 issued an arrest warrant against Ronald and the three others for multiple murder (docketed under CC NR H-2039).

Last week, Ronald was apprehended in San Miguel, Bulacan, and Hilongos chief of police Plaza and two other policemen went to fetch Ronald and to bring him to Hilongos from Manila via Cebu. The suspect was however able to outwit the escorting policemen.

According to one of the accompanying officer through a text message to The FREEMAN at 4:18 a.m., Ronald escaped by freeing himself from the handcuffs and then jumping out of the ship, “between Roxas City and Masbate seas,” The source put the time of the jump at 3 a.m.

There was a report that the ship turned back to try to recover Ronald but, after a 3-hour search, he was not found, and an unconfirmed report stated further that another ship was able to find and took him. This ship was slated to reach Cebu yesterday evening.

Hilongos Mayor Jose Emery Roble was very disappointed of the incident. “This was the second time that a prisoner had escaped under the command responsibility of  Chief Insp. Plaza,” he said on a phone conversation with The FREEMAN at dawn yesterday.

Roble was referring to the first escape of Ronald’s father, Romualdo, from the municipal detention cell, less than a month of Plaza’s tour of duty. 

Plaza is chief of the Hilongos Police only in acting capacity because the mayor did not sign his papers despite being with the town police for almost a year.

Roble told The FREEMAN he is now calling the attention of Leyte Provincial Police director Sr. Supt. Pio Manito, who the mayor believed to be playing politics.

“Everybody knew that Plaza’s predecessor was quickly relieved from Hilongos not solely for his minor lapses, but because of political patronage. “I can’t see any reason why Manito did not relieve Plaza despite numerous blunders, including the two escape incidents,” said Roble.

Lor and his sons were on a motorcycle going to the river to take a dip and clean the circumcision wounds of his children when ambushed allegedly by Ronald, Romualdo and two others. While the motorcycle was running, the suspects fired a homemade shotgun, hitting Lor and his sons in the heads. One of the sons however did not die on the spot and was able to identify the assailants.

The killings shocked the Hilongosnons, including Mayor Roble who relentlessly pursued for the capture of the suspects.

“Vicente Lor was just doing his job as a councilman and as a father when he stood up against the evil influence of the suspects in their barangay. It cost his life and that of  his two sons. Let us not be swayed by political maneuvers and instead serve the people as true policemen,” Roble added.