By Martin Sadongdong
At least six more escaped inmates of Bacoor City Police Detention Center in Cavite have either been re-arrested by or surrendered to authorities following a daring jailbreak last Friday, raising the total number of caught detainees to 14, authorities confirmed Sunday.
(Pixabay / MANILA BULLETIN)
With this development, Superintendent Vicente Cabatingan, chief of Bacoor City Police, said the number of escaped inmates being hunted down were down to nine, as of 3 p.m. Sunday.
Among the re-arrested inmates was Ferc Leo Melendrez, of Barangay Kaingen, Bacoor City, Cavite. He has a case of robbery-holdup and was first nabbed by cops on June 7, 2018.
According to Cabatingan, Melendez was re-arrested by police in a manhunt operation conducted around 10:30 p.m. Saturday in Meycauayan, Bulacan -- some 53 kilometers from Bacoor City.
Even though the escaped inmates have made their way to the nearby provinces and even Metro Manila, Cabatingan said they have been receiving information and tips from the public as to the prisoners' whereabouts following the release of their mugshots on Saturday.
Cabatingan appealed for continuous vigilance from the public as he said any information that will help them to re-arrest the escaped inmates can be relayed through hotlines 0977-752-0819; 0998-598-5593 and 046 4167510.
Visit to parents
Meanwhile, police also re-arrested Norberto Hidalgo Jr., of Pulo-2, Dalhika, Barangay 8, Cavite City. He was initially arrested on May 17, 2018 for a case of robbery.
Cabatingan said Hidalgo had gone into hiding in Marikina City but opted to return to Cavite City to visit his parents.
He was nabbed by police around 10 p.m. also on Saturday in Barangay 8, Cavite City.
Back to jail
Cops also re-arrested Dennis Baluban, of Magdalena Street, Addas 2-A, Brgy. Molino 2, Bacoor. He was first caught on May 10, 2017 due to illegal drugs.
Meanwhile, Divinagracia Dellon, of Barangay Kaingen, Bacoor City; and Frederick Salondro, of Villa Esperanza, Brgy. Molino 2, Bacoor City surrendered to Bacoor police on Sunday morning. Both of them have illegal drugs cases.
Around 3 p.m. Sunday, police reported that Romeo Cabral turned himself in to authorities.
Cabral, of Addas 2, Barangay Progressive Village 6, Barangay Molino 2, Bacoor City, was first arrested on May 13, 2018 due to illegal drugs.
Surrender
Cabatingan also said they have been receiving surrender feelers from the remaining escaped inmates following the arrest of the other prisoners.
"Once the inmates go back to jail, additional cases for escaping will be filed against them," Cabatingan noted.
At 4:23 p.m. last Friday, 23 inmates of the Bacoor City Police Detention Center bolted after overpowering jail guard Jeremiah Perez.
Perez was about to bring back newly-arrested suspect Angel Eusebio inside the cell when the inmates forced the gate open. Perez had just taken Eusebio's mugshots.
Six inmates were immediately arrested while two others chose to surrender.
Relieved
Cabatingan said the supervisor of the detention facility and at least eight jail guards have already been relieved of their posts pending an investigation.
Aside from the five on-duty jail personnel when the jail break occured, more officials were relieved following the results of their initial investigation.
Cabatingan said they will try to find out whether or not there were further security lapses on the part of the police.
Apparently, Perez was alone at the detention facility when the jailbreak occurred.
This violates the police "buddy system" which indicates that cops must be accompanied by a colleague while on duty.