THE police have recaptured 13 of the 16 inmates who escaped early Tuesday from the detention cell of Police Station 6 in Barangay Tetuan, Zamboanga City, an official said.

Senior Inspector Shelamie Chang, Zamboanga City Police Office (ZCPO) information officer, said manhunt operation continues in a bid to recapture the remaining three detainees who are still at large.

The detainees escaped at 2:50 a.m. Tuesday, April 10, after one of them, William Parajado, sawed off the jail’s iron grills.

The two on-duty guards tried but failed to stop the 16 inmates from fleeing.

Chang disclosed that except for two, most of those who escaped were detained for drug-related cases.

Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar has given the local police 24 hours to recapture the remaining three inmates.

Salazar has tapped the military’s Task Force Zamboanga and the Zamboanga Coast Guard Station to assist the police as manhunt operation has been launched immediately to recapture all of the escapees.

Checkpoints have been set-up in areas leading to the residence of the escapees to include at the local port and at the integrated bus terminal.

Salazar has urged the public to assist the authorities by way of providing timely information on the presence of any of the escapees in their community.

Following the escape, Salazar has ordered the local police to strengthen the visiting hours to prevent a repeat of the incident.