BACOLOD CITY – One of the three remaining Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL) who bolted the Negros Occidental District Jail Tuesday, June 29, was neutralized by policemen in an encounter in Sitio Ambulo, Barangay San Fernando, Talisay City, Negros Occidental last Friday, July 2.
Police Major Jigger Gimeno, Talisay City police chief, identified the fatality as Danilo Celeste of Victorias City, who was charged with carnapping, robbery, illegal possession of firearms, and attempted homicide.
Danilo was the brother of PDL escapee Marvin Celeste who was killed in a shootout with personnel of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) and policemen in Barangay Blumentritt, Murcia, Negros Occidental last Wednesday.
Gimeno said they were able to locate Danilo’s whereabouts when they received information about two unidentified suspicious persons walking barefoot in the area. The report was also through the intelligence support of the Army, he added.
Gimeno said they tried negotiating with Danilo and his companion to surrender but they reportedly opened fire at them, prompting the police to retaliate.
Danilo was killed during the encounter, while his companion, who has yet to be identified, was able to escape.
Gimeno said that policemen tried to chase the other escapee but to no avail. However, he believed that the escapee might have been wounded during the encounter.
Police recovered from Danilo’s possession a .22 caliber revolver with a fired cartridge case loaded with four live ammunition and three fired cartridge case of .9 mm.
As of posting time, two escapees have been neutralized – the Celeste brothers while Daniel Tamon was recaptured. Two others remain at large – Francisco Epogon and Alejandro Montoya.
They bolted out from their detention cell at Negros Occidental District Jail in Bago City, Negros Occidental. A cash reward of P10,000 is still up for the recapture of the two remaining escapees.