The chief of police of Caloocan City has been relieved from his after 13 inmates escaped from one of its custodial facilities last week.
National Capital Region Police Office chief Brig. Gen. Debold Sinas on Friday (Oct. 30) said Col. Dario Menor was relieved on October 23, a day after 13 detainees escaped by boring a hole at the Caloocan City Custodial Facility Extension Unit near the city hall using a concrete nail.
Menor was relieved pending investigation into his culpability over the incident.
"NCRPO has initiated the filing of the investigation... because we're investigating the case to know at which level is his culpability and command responsibility. As to the relief of Menor, it's initiated by Camp Crame (Philippine National Police), so we just followed the directive. But the investigation is still ongoing to determine the culpability of the officers involved in Caloocan City Police Station," Sinas told a press conference in mixed English and Filipino,
Sinas did not give a definite reason behind Menor's relief but said, "I surmise, baka nga dahil dito sa nakatakas (because of the jailbreak)."
Lt. Col. Illustre Mendoza is currently the acting police chief of Caloocan City as Menor's successor is still undergoing quarantine after testing positive for coronavirus disease, he added.
According to Brig. Gen. Ronnie Ylagan, Northern Police District (NPD) head, nine escapees have already been recaptured following the incident on October 22. Those who remain at large are: Martin Mama, 46; Gerrymar Petilla, 21; Raymond Balasa, 35; and Norbert Alvarez, 35.