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Saturday, February 15, 2003
Police arrest BBRC escapee
By Mia E. Abellana
CURIOSITY over a shooting incident led to the arrest of a fugitive on Panganiban St., Cebu City yesterday, four days after he bolted the Bagong Buhay Rehabilitation Center (BBRC).
Members of the San Nicolas Police Station arrested Edwin Cruz, 24, who was watching a shooting incident unfold along Panganiban St.
Cruz said he and four other friends were out buying ice cream at 3:30 a.m. when they heard a gunshot.
While those involved in the shooting scampered in different directions, Cruz and his friends loitered in the area, where Insp. Patrocino Abesia recognized him.
Arrested along with Cruz was his friend Michael Rico, 23, who yielded a small packet of shabu. Police also found an ice pick in Cruz’s pocket.
Cruz, who was charged for the robbery of Gerson Enterprises last May, was immediately recognized by Abesia and brought to the station.
Cruz climbed a post and went past a jail guard, who was allegedly asleep, Monday dawn and escaped from the BBRC.
Repercussions
His escape was one of the reasons Senior Insp. Valentino Coderias was relieved as deputy warden after serving the jail for only a month.
It also caused the relief of JO1 Emiliano Flores, the jail guard stationed at the tower at the time of his escape.
Both officers are under investigation for their lapses that led to the escape.
Cruz said he just wanted to leave the jail because he did not have any visitor. He also missed his life outside the jail.
He was not sure if JO1 Flores was asleep, though, as it was too dark.
However, he said Flores covered a portion of the tower because it was drizzling.
igh spirits
His capture, however, apparently didn’t ruin Cruz’s mood as he entertained reporters’ questions in jest.
“Pwerteng dagan nako wa na ko nagtan-aw. Wala ra man sad nakagukod ang bala nako,” he said, referring to the warning shots a jail guard fired to get him to stop. (I ran as fast as I can without looking back. The bullets didn’t catch up with me.)
He said he thought the pain in his chest was due to a bullet that hit him, but it turned out it was just his heart beating twice its normal rate.
He denied being a robber, however, saying he only worked for an Akyat Bahay syndicate.
Cruz said he used to work for a certain Crisostomo “Tata Negro” Llaguno.
He alleged that Llaguno drove him and other burglars to posh villages on board his Feroza.
They would remit to him their loot in exchange for shabu.
After escaping jail, Cruz said he went straight to his home in Barangay Ermita, but decided against entering his house because he knew law enforcers would be looking for him.
He stayed in his friend’s house instead.
(February 15, 2003 issue)
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