6 of 13 jailbreakers recaptured

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — Six of the 13 inmates who escaped from the Sagay City District Jail in Negros Occidental last Wednesday were re-arrested last Friday and yesterday (Saturday), police said.

Senior Supt. Ricardo dela Paz, acting Negros Occidental Police director, said four escapees were arrested at about 10:45 a.m. yesterday, while the two others were caught earlier on Friday.

Arrested yesterday were inmates Joemar Libester, 26, with rape case; Jimmy Vistar, 18, with murder case; Joenard Quirante, 22, with murder case; and Jolito Subteniente, 26, with murder case, according to a report of the Sagay City Police.

They were nabbed at Hacienda Balbina Brgy Rafaela in Sagay City by the combined elements of the Sagay City Police, 2nd MC, RPSB-6, 2nd PSP, PPSC, and 6th SAB, SAF personnel, the report showed.

Two other inmates who were recaptured at the bus terminal in Cadiz City, Negros Occidental at about 5 p.m. last Friday were Rolando Bajo Jr., 22, and Jeck Española, 24, said Chief Insp. Gilbert Peremne, spokesperson of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology-Region 6 spokesperson.

Peremne said the two were arrested through a tip from an informant, who told Cadiz City jail officials that Española and Bajo were on board a Ceres bus going to Bacolod.

Chief Insp. Edel Jose Manzano, Sagay City Police chief, said initial investigation showed that Bajo pointed a gun at jail guard Jover Valenzuela, while Villanueva took Valenzuela’s .38 caliber revolver and cellular phone. While other inmates pointed sharp “barbecue sticks” at jail guard Francis Ballador, Bajo then shot the padlock of the jail’s main gate using the .38 caliber revolver that led to their escape.

Senior Jail Officer 3 Leo Lacerna of the BJMP-6 Investigation and Prosecution Division said that, before the escape, the inmates had been complaining against their warden, Chief Insp. Benny Freddie Cobarde, who they said, was strict and refused to let them out of their cells.

Investigations of the BJMP-6 showed that the inmates escaped as a form of protest on what they alleged was the mismanagement of Cobarde.

BJMP-6 director, Sr. Supt. Ignacio Panti on Thursday, following the escape, relieved Cobarde from his post, while JO1s Joever Valenzuela and Francis Ballador, who were the custodial officers on duty then, are now restricted at the Sagay City jail.

Additional jail personnel will be assigned to the Sagay City BJMP on Monday to augment the security there.

The BJMP-6 is offering P10,000 each for the arrest of the remaining escapees: Rey Villanueva, 28, Richard Dacal-Dacal, 28, Armando Dilao, 24, Gilbert Manija, 24, Marjon Bandala, 24, Eric Cordero, 18, and Resty Dacal-Dacal, 22.

Peremne said they are still trying to determine how, and who was responsible for bringing into the jail the .38 caliber revolver used by Bajo to threaten Valenzuela and in shooting the padlock of the detention cell of his fellow inmates. Lacerna said their logbook showed that Bajo’s mother, Shirley, was the last person who visited him before he bolted from jail.

The result of the investigation being undertaken by the BJMP-6 will be released in five days, and will be forwarded to their national office, Lacerna said. The national BJMP will evaluate the result of the investigation and send it back to BJMP-6 for the implementation of the penalties, he said.

Lacerna added that Cobarde, Ballador and Valenzuela may also face administrative charges for serious negligence, which is punishable by dismissal from service. (FREEMAN)