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Monday, May 29, 2006
Hunger brings jail escapee back
By Mia E. Abellana
CEBU CITY -- Hunger prompted Edgardo Mollaneda Batanes to surrender to authorities Sunday afternoon, two days after bolting from the Bagong Buhay Rehabilitation Center (BBRC).
Batanes asked a friend to approach Ermita Barangay Councilor Inocencio Rupinta and inform him about his plan to surrender, as well as his request that he be kept safe.
Batanes told Sun.Star Cebu it was Randy Rayala who planned last Friday dawn’s escape, saying he was worried about being sent to the New Bilibid Prisons in Muntinlupa City.
Rayala was recently meted a life term for killing a softdrink distributor last year.
Batanes added that they were supposed to surrender together, but when they reached Ermita, Rayala reportedly changed his mind and they parted ways.
Midnight
Batanes claimed they began pounding on the wall at midnight.
He said they would pause now and then as JO1 Victoriano Vince walked back and forth from Tower 2 to the middle of the catwalk.
He said Vince did not stay out of Tower 2 for long, but he kept on walking. However, he said the guard in Tower 3 left his post at 11 p.m. yet.
JO1 Freddie Perez was identified as the guard assigned to Tower 3 that night.
They did not leap out of the hole until about 4 a.m., when the hole was big enough for them to fit through.
Creek
Batanes said they went straight to one of Rayala’s friends in Barangay Bonbon but they later decided to go back to the city.
He and Rayala spent the whole day Saturday hiding out in the creek beside the University of San Carlos North Campus in Gen. Maxilom Ave.
Superintendent Efren Nemeño, BBRC warden, said they will still have to evaluate Batanes’ statement and find out if it corroborates the claims of the others.
One of the jail guards tried to end his life Friday night after he got most of the blame for the escape of the six inmates. He has been released from the hospital, Nemeño reported.
Escapee Randy Canino Java was first to fall after his smell gave him away in a checkpoint.
Isolation
Garsol Gabuya and Emerick Abadiano were arrested Saturday morning, while Cesar Saban surrendered about the same time.
The escapees will be isolated from the rest of the prisoners, as Nemeño fears inmates will blame them for the stricter security measures he had to impose.
As a result of the escape, Nemeño has temporarily disallowed all inmates to make phone calls and has stopped the holding of sports activities.
He also said inmates complaining of pains and other ailments could not just go to the infirmary whenever they wanted to.
“Now, only those with serious conditions are allowed there,” Nemeño explained.
Manhunt
Also, after the escape, many inmates were disturbed after jail personnel had to conduct security checks and cell inspections.
He said they will settle whatever charges they will file against the six inmates once they finalize their investigation.
The manhunt for Rayala continues, with photos posted in local police stations and piers of Cebu.
With the jailbreak, the Police Regional Office 7 has also ordered all units to conduct security surveys in jails under their supervision.
Regional Operations and Plans Division Chief Carmelo Valmoria issued a memorandum instructing all units to institute corrective measures to preempt similar incidents.
They were also instructed to be on the lookout for the escapees and to assist the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology in their manhunt operations. (Sun.Star Cebu)
(May 29, 2006 issue)
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