Wednesday, June 18, 2008 Illegal alien flees from detention By Rex C. Otero
A CHINESE national detained at the Bureau of Immigration (BI) in Davao City escaped from his detention cell early morning Sunday and available BI officials are clueless about the escape.
The suspect, identified as Chalo Sy King, was detained since March at the BI in Bajada.
Reports gathered by Sun.Star on Tuesday said lawyer Ernesto Mercado, hearing officer of the BI, is not familiar with the details of the incident or the background of the case of the Chinese national.
"I have no personal knowledge about that, ang intelligence division talaga ang nakakaalam (has information) regarding the background of the case," Mercado said in an interview Tuesday morning.
It was learned that the chief of the BI intelligence division was in Manila on Tuesday and the jail warden, one Benjamin Genota, agreed to an interview through his mobile phone.
Genota revealed that King escaped his cell at around 3 a.m. Sunday.
He said it remains unclear what kind of tool the suspect used in cutting the steel bars in his detention cell, but it could be string.
"Kung gabas, mobanha man (If he used a saw, it would have made a lot of noise)," Genota said.
"Isa ra ka bakal ang giputol, payaton man tong tawhana maong nakalusot siya sa bangag (He removed only one steel bar. The suspect is thin and he could easily slide through the space)," Genota said.
He added that the guard on duty is already under investigation.
Genota said the Chinese national was detained since he was an undocumented alien. BI Davao is waiting for budget to transport him to the main detention cell in Manila.
According to Genota, the suspect was also detained in Butuan City for a swindling case.
"Pero naserbisyohan na ni niya didto mao nga na-release na (He has served his sentence there and was already released)," Genota said.
The warden said they are still looking for the escapee.
