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Monday, October 24, 2005
2 inmates walk out of prison with guests
By Allan I. Varquez
CEBU CITY -- Two inmates bolted from the provincial jail Sunday afternoon, undermining for the third time its claim of being the country’s most modern prison building for its state-of-the-art security equipment.
Edwardo dela Concep-cion and Roel Arabis sneaked out of the facility by mingling with relatives of inmates who were there for the family day.
The Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) in Barangay Kalunasan, Cebu City holds a family day every second and last Sunday of the month.
Dela Concepcion, who is in his mid-30s and from Barangay Ocaña, Carcar town, was committed to the CPDRC on Dec. 6, 2003 for a rape case, which remains pending.
Arabis, on the other hand, is in his early 20s and from Arellano Blvd., Cebu City. He is facing a double murder case and was brought to the CPDRC last March 7.
A jail guard who refused to be named told Sun.Star Cebu that dela Concepcion and Arabis disguised themselves as visitors by changing from their orange inmate shirts into the clothes their relatives brought them.
They then calmly walked out of the jail together with some visitors who left the CPDRC before the affair ended at 4 p.m.
“No one noticed because they were already in civilian clothes and there were already a lot of visitors who were leaving the jail,” said the guard.
From the quadrangle, where the family day is held regularly, visitors had to pass through gates before reaching the main steel gate. Each of the three gates has a guard.
At least 16 surveillance cameras are also being used inside the prison.
Sun.Star Cebu called up OIC Warden Alfredo Abella, but he was out of his office, reportedly leading efforts to track down and recapture the fugitives.
Capitol consultant Pablo John Garcia said an investigation will be made immediately to identify those liable for the escape and to determine the corresponding administrative penalty.
“We will see where the failure lies. No one is spared. We will make persons accountable for their action,” he said in a mobile phone interview.
He added that the guards just graduated last week from their training conducted by police.
The training was set following the observation of Acting Cebu Provincial Police Office Director Vicente Loot that CPDRC’s high walls and high-tech equipment are not enough security if jail guards are not well-trained.
Two other inmates have previously bolted the CPDRC, which is barely a year in operation.
Last March 19, Marcos Montaño escaped from the CPDRC, although jail caterers noticed his disappearance only a day after when they were about to serve breakfast.
Montaño was recaptured on March 20.
On May 28, alleged notorious thief Hector Recaña of Cordova town disguised himself as a kitchen boy, scaled the CPDRC’s wall and fled by asking a taxi driver to give him a ride inside the baggage compartment.
He then went into hiding in Camotes Island, where he was recaptured on June 3.
Following Recaña’s escape, Capitol enforced a revamp at CPDRC and augmented its security force with blue guards and some members of the Civil Security Unit. (Sun.Star Cebu/Sunnex)
(October 24, 2005 issue)
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