BY JOSEPH PEDRAJAS
Thirteen inmates escaped from the Custodial Facility Unit Extension near the Caloocan City Hall at 1:50 a.m. Thursday.
The Caloocan City Police identified the inmates as Martin Mama, 46; Gerrymar Petilla, 21; Hudson Jeng, 42; Aldwin Jhoe Espila, 25; Reymark delos Reyes, 27; Norbert Alvarez, 35; Mark Oliver Gamutia, 21; Jovel Toledo Jr., 27; Arnel Buccat, 19; Raymond Balasa, 35; Reynaldo Bantiling, 35; Aries Dunacao, 28; and Justine Tejeros, 22.
The escapees are facing various charges ranging from possession of illegal drugs, alarm and scandal, carnapping, theft, possession of illegal firearms to robbery extortion.
Caloocan Police chief Col. Dario Menor said the detainees managed to flee through a hole they drilled at the facility’s comfort room using stones and concrete nails.
Menor added that the escape was planned as it would take the detainees some time to make a hole.
Menor believed that the jail guards did not notice nor hear the escapees drilling a hole due to noise being intentionally made by the detainees.
Prior to the incident, there were a total 31 individuals detained. Some of them, the police chief said, admitted having knowledge about the escapees’ plan but they preferred to stay.
According to Menor, the facility where the escapees were detained is only a temporary custodial facility for recently arrested individuals. It was built “sometime in March,” upon the police’s request to the local government, to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Menor said that before transferring to a Bureau of Jail and Penology Management (BJMP) facility, arrested individuals are being isolated there for 21 days to ensure that they are negative of COVID-19.
Prior to the incident, the 13 escapees were actually set to be transferred to a BJMP facility.
Following the escape of the detainees, Menor said, they held a manhunt operation that led to the arrest of Arries Dunacao.
