CITY OF SAN FERNANDO (Updated) -- Six of the 13 detainees, who bolted out of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-Central Luzon detention facility at the Police Regional Office in Camp Olivas, surrendered to authorities Monday.
PDEA-Central Luzon Public Information Officer Glenn Guillermo said the six inmates facing drug charges were identified as Erick dela Cruz of Malibay, Valenzuela; Marlon Orezca and Jeric Castillo of Plaridel, Bulacan; Russel Derick De Jesus of Guiguinto, Bulacan; and Rommel Reyes and Renante Reyes of Baliwag, Bulacan.
The six detainees, Guillermo said, surrendered with their families in Plaridel, Bulacan, around 1 p.m. Monday after PDEA and the Philippine National Police (PNP) issued a shoot to kill order.
Guillermo told SunStar Pampanga that the PDEA and PNP are still conducting manhunt operations against seven other escapees identified as Edilberto Clemente of Tondo, Manila; Eduardo Gregorio Jr. and Roberto Castillo of Plaridel, Bulacan; Victor Briguel and Robert Salas of the City of San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan; Yahya Malang of Tarlac City; and Kiram Tambelawan of Bulacan.
The 13 detainees made their way out of the detention facility last Sunday, February 26. They reportedly used a saw to cut the metal bars of the cell. They escaped through the EMS Subdivision at the back of Camp Olivas.
As to where the detainees got the saw is now the subject of a thorough investigation.
Also under investigation are two PDEA guards who were on duty when the incident happened.
PDEA-Central Luzon Director Juvenal Azurin said that two other detainees in the cell did not escape: one with a bailable case and the other one was asleep.
He said the 13 inmates are considered high-value drug personalities, with some of them in detention for several months now. (JTD/With Ric Sapnu/SunStar Pampanga)