The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) had foiled the escape attempt of alleged drug lord Rolan “Kerwin” E. Espinosa and two other detainees from its detention facility in Manila.
“In view of this incident, security measures at the jail have since been tightened with regular inspection of all jail facilities,” NBI Officer-in-Charge Director Eric B. Distor said on Monday, Jan. 17.
Distor said the “swift and timely action” of the NBI agents prevented the escape of Espinosa and the two detainees. He did not identify the two other detainees.
Last Dec. 17, the Makati City regional trial court (RTC) dismissed the drugs charges filed against Espinosa and three co-accused even before the presentation of their evidence in court.
Also cleared when the RTC granted the demurrer to evidence (a challenge to the alleged insufficiency of evidence presented by the prosecution) were Wu Tuan Huan alias Peter Co, Lovely A. Impal, and Marcelo L. Adorco.
They were charged with violations of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 which were allegedly committed in Makati City.
Espinosa has been under detention due to the pending illegal drugs cases before the Manila and Leyte courts.
On the attempted escape, Distor said that last Jan. 13 the chief and the executive officer of the NBI’s Security and Management Section (NBI-SMS) received information that Espinosa and two detainees were planning to escape the detention facility through the hole of the exhaust fan at the ceiling.
“On the same night, they immediately conducted an inspection of the jail,” he said.
“In one of the cells of the jail, the raiding team members observed a deformed exhaust fan, which when removed, exposed a hole fit for a detainee to escape,” he also said.