Four escape from jail; two rearrested

CEBU, Philippines - Four detainees of Police Station 3 in Lapu-Lapu City escaped detention yesterday morning while the policeman on duty left to take his breakfast.

However, two of the suspects, Christopher Cernal, 20, of Barangay Gun-ob and Alberto Torregosa, 24, of Barangay Alegria, were rearrested during a hot pursuit operation shortly before midday. They were captured at their residences.

The two other suspects were identified as Benjamin Aparri, 27, of Barangay Babag II and Johnrey Yran, 21, of Barangay Pajo, Lapu-Lapu City.

Gun-ob is in jail for physical injury charges, Aparri is in jail for robbery and extortion charges while Toregosa and Yran were arrested for theft charges.

The cell where the suspects were detained is located at the Poblacion Public Market and serves as an extension of Police Station 3, which is located at the Hoops Dome.

Investigation revealed that PO2 Jude Salazar left the detention cell around 8:20 a.m. to take his breakfast only to find out when he returned that the inmates have already escaped. They reportedly escaped by bending the cell’s iron grills.

The detention cell is manned by three policemen assigned to three shifts. When the incident happened, the chief of Police Station 3, Donald Geniston, was at the Hoops Dome.

Because the detention cell is at the market, it was reportedly easy for the suspects to blend in with the crowd once they were outside the cell.

Despite the arrest of Cernal and Torregosa, Salazar and Geniston were relieved from their posts pending investigation on the incident.

“Both of them (Geniston ug Salazar) are relieved and they are placed in Personnel Holding Unit while pending investigation,” said Lapu-Lapu Police Chief Rey Lyndon Lawas.

Both Salazar and Geniston were in the hot pursuit team. The team searched to as far as Olango Island.

Geniston will be replaced by P/Insp.Winston Penafranda. /JMO