Three of the 13 inmates who bolted a Caloocan City custodial facility early Thursday morning have already been re-arrested in various manhunt operations conducted following their escape.
In a report from Caloocan police chief Col. Dario Menor, Harris Danacao, 28, Aldwin Jhoe Espila, 25, and Mark Oliver Gamutia, 21, are back in police custody.
Danacao was apprehended in Barangay 8, Caloocan City at around 8:30 a.m., Espila in Camarin in Caloocan City-North at about 3:30 p.m. and Gamutia in Barangay Tonsuya, Malabon at 3:40 p.m.
Danacao’s whereabouts was disclosed by his mother to police while Gamutia was captured after police received a tip via text message from a concerned citizen.
The nine others still the subject of hot pursuit are: Martin Mama, 46; Gerrymar Petilla, 21; Hudson Jeng, 42; Reymark Delos Reyes, 27; Norbert Alvarez, 35; Jovel Toledo Jr., 27; Arnel Buccat, 19; Raymond Balasa, 35; Reynaldo Bantiling, 35; and Justine Tejeros, 22.
According to Menor, the 13 made their breakaway from the Custodial Facility Extension Unit near City Hall at around 1:50 a.m. "during intermittent downpour of rain."
The police chief added that the detainees drilled a hole inside their cell using stones and concrete nails.
In a police report, two of the 18 remaining detainees who opted to stay claimed that it "was Arnel Buccat and Raymond Balasa who serve as the 'mayors' and 'vice- mayores' of the detention facility who planned the escape."
Police said they found out that the temporary suspension of visitation rights and the scheduled transfer to Caloocan City Jail were the reasons behind the escape.
Two police officers manning the detainees will face criminal charges, particularly evasion through negligence, and administrative charges in light of the incident, Menor said.