3 cut grill, bolt Toledo Police jail

THREE inmates of the Toledo City Police Station escaped from prison by cutting the iron grill at the back window of the detention cell using a hacksaw on Saturday night.

Among the nine detainees of the Toledo Police Station, only three inmates escaped by passing through the back window while the other six reportedly opted not to escape.

The Toledo City Police led by Supt. Henry Biñas are searching for the three inmates, namely Nilo Lombreno, 30, of Barangay Talavera; Joselito Ribaya, 20, of Lutopan Toledo City; and Apolinario Canumay, 20, of Barangay Biga, Toledo City.

Lombreno has a pending case of rape and was arrested in January. He allegedly raped his 14-year-old daughter.

Ribaya was charged with illegal possession of firearms, while Canumay was arrested for frustrated murder. Both were arrested last month.

“Possible nga gasabot ni sila. Ang uban piniriso wala kabantay, ang uban sad nakahibalo pud siguro ug wala lang magsaba (It’s possible that they planned it. Some detainees didn’t notice, and some probably knew but didn’t tell),” added Biñas.

He said that yesterday, the son of Lombreno contacted them and added he will negotiate with his father to surrender.

“Niadto mi sa lugar kung asa unta siya (Lombreno) musurender, pero ni back-out man kuno iyang papa (Lombreno) kay nahadlok (We went to the place where he was supposed to surrender, but he backed out because he was afraid),” said Biñas in a phone interview.

Biñas said he will relieve two policemen. One was assigned when the detainees escaped, while the other was on-duty during the visiting hours when the hacksaw was believed to be brought by one of the visitors.

SPO1 Jerson Libumfacil was the one who discovered the jailbreak, while SPO4 Carmelito Hornales was on-duty during visiting hours.

“We will investigate first if the two had any liability for what happened,” said Biñas in a phone interview with Sun.Star Cebu yesterday.

Headcount

Libumfacil said he made a headcount thrice on Saturday night. At 8:30 p.m. and 9 p.m., he said there were still nine detainees.

But at 10 p.m. when he conducted another headcount, there were only six left.

“Kusog kaayo ang uwan ato orasa gi-timing gyud nila kay ug wala pa nako balika possible makagawas gyud to tanan,” Libumfacil said.

He said the hacksaw the escapees used was found outside the detention cell.

Biñas said one of the six inmates who stayed revealed that the hacksaw came from the wife of Lombreno, Angelina, after she visited earlier that day.

The Toledo Police Chief said Hornales was on-duty when Angelina visited on Saturday.

He said Angelina might have passed through the inspection by hiding the hacksaw near her panties.

Arrest

Angelina was arrested yesterday morning. Biñas said a case of obstruction of justice will be filed against her.

Biñas said the escapees might have started cutting the iron grill around 5 to 6 p.m., while heavy rains poured, making it difficult to hear anything.

“Bugnaw man gud kaayo sa miaging gabii kay mibunok sab ang kusog kaayong uwan ilang gipahimuslan ang panahon (They took advantage of the cold weather and the hard rain),” added Biñas.

Biñas said Lombreno’s family alleged the suspect was hiding in the woods at the back of his house. The barangay tanods in Talavera reportedly searched for Lombreno yesterday, but did not find him.

Rabaya was also seen by his neighbors in Lutopan, Toledo.

Biñas said the three escapees are still in Toledo City. He said they will have to conduct a follow-up operation in search of the suspects.