A person deprived of liberty (PDL) has escaped from the Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm (SPPF) in Occidental Mindoro and is now the subject of a massive manhunt for his arrest, the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) said on Wednesday, March 4.
The BuCor identified the escapee as Tyrone R. Dela Cruz who was convicted of kidnap for ransom and has been detained since 2015 before he was transferred to the SPPF in 2017. He escaped last March 3.
The BuCor said that it has been coordinating with other law enforcement agencies and the Philippine Army for the immediate arrest of Dela Cruz.
Meanwhile, the BuCor said that four corrections officers (COs) have been relieved from their duties and reassigned due to an ongoing investigation over the escape of the PDL.
It also said the report on the escape of Dela Cruz and the efforts being undertaken for his arrest has been submitted to Acting Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida.
Initial report stated that Dela Cruz was discovered missing at around 5:47 p.m. last Tuesday during a routine headcount.
“Reports indicate that after moving towards the basketball court area, he exploited an opportunity to flee between Post Tower 1 and Post Tower 2,” the report stated.
“Despite duty personnel's prompt response and efforts, which included firing warning shots, Dela Cruz managed to evade and made his way toward a nearby forested region,” the report added.