Police recapture two jail escapees

CEBU, Philippines - Only one escapee still remains at large as another two of the five detainees have been recaptured by police in different locations in Cebu yesterday morning, following their escape from the holding cell of Compostela Police Station last April 7.

"Sa karon, ang nahabilin usa nalang gyud kabuok. Nakuha nato sa kabukiran sa Talamban si Giovanny Tapayanug kaning si Joseph Mahinay diri sa Jubay, Lilo-an," said Chief Inspector Romeo Caacoy, chief of Compostela Police Station.

Caacoy coordinated with both the Talamban Police Station and Liloan Police Station for the capture operation.

Police are now looking for the last detainee, Nelson Agbay.

The five detainees escaped from detention last Friday dawn by sawing off the grills of the cell's window.

Caacoy said that one of the detainees was able to smuggle in a tool used for cutting iron grills.

Detainees were earlier given permission to use hammocks to sleep because the jail is congested, but the detainees used the hammock as a cover-up to escape.

"Ang katong puthaw nga ilahang gihigtan (sa duyan), gigabas na diay sa ilawom, ug tanawon nimo's gawas bisag nag-inspeksyon ka, dili nimo malantaw nga naa'y agi's ginabsan," Caacoy said.

Late afternoon on the same day (Friday), escapee Joel Cuyos surrendered back to Compostela Police Station, while Rubin Catipay was arrested in the town.

Caacoy said that their station’s lack of personnel may have given the detainees the opportunity to escape.

Compostela Police Station has a total number of 24 personnel, but 12 of these were deployed as security for the Association of Southeast Asian Nation Summit from April 3 to 7.

Police Regional Office Region (PRO) -7 Director Noli Taliño said that Caacoy should not blame the ASEAN Summit as the reason behind the detainees’ escape from their jail.

“We will investigate on that kung bakit nakatakas,” he said. “Huwag nilang sisihin yung ASEAN dahil kinonsider  yung operational capability ng isang police station bago sila kinuhanan ng tao, so dapat kinonsider nila yun. Hindi naman natin i-pu-pullout kung hindi pwede,” Taliño added. —/JBB (FREEMAN)