Sunday, July 13, 2008 Inmate escapes hospital while escort buys coffee
A CEBU City Jail inmate escaped from his jail guard while confined at the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) last Friday night.
The Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) and the city jail officials headed by Supt. Efren Nemenio launched a manhunt against Ruben Janubas, who reportedly fled at 10:40 p.m. Friday from his hospital bed at the male surgical ward.
Janubas allegedly took the opportunity to escape while JO1 Dzerdon Lee Satorre, the jail officer assigned to look after him, went out of the ward to buy a cup of coffee.
Detained
Janubas, 26, a jeepney conductor, has been detained at the city jail since he was charged with murder in relation to child abuse early this month.
Janubas has been tagged as the suspect in the killing of 13-year-old Christian Labra in Sitio Cabarang, Barangay Sapangdaku last June 29.
He was confined at the CCMC for a stab wound in the body.
Nemenio, in a mobile phone interview with Sun.Star Cebu yesterday, said initial information he gathered from Satorre and some witnesses in the hospital showed that prior to the incident, Janubas appeared to have fallen asleep.
That’s when the jail officer left to buy coffee.
But Janubas, who apparently only feigned sleep, took a safety pin and used it to unlock the handcuffs that bound one hand to his hospital bed.
The suspect then jumped from the second floor to the ground and escaped, his fellow patients’ shouts failing to stop him.
Satorre tried to chase Janubas but failed to catch up. Heavy rains at that time also made it difficult for the jail guard to find Janubas, Nemenio said.
Manhunt
After learning of the incident, Nemenio said he immediately coordinated with Supt. Pablo Labra II, city police deputy director, to help in the manhunt.
The police went to Janubas’ house in Sapangdaku but failed to find him. Another team was sent to a town in Cebu’s southern part after the police learned that Janubas’ live-in-partner resides in the area.
Nemenio said Satorre has been placed under restriction while an investigation is being done.
Should he be found to have committed lapses while performing his duties, Nemenio said, Satorre may face administrative and criminal charges for gross neglect of duty. (JST)
