SIX of the 13 detainees who escaped from the Caloocan City Police Station have been rearrested, Caloocan City Police Chief Dario Menor said on Friday, October 23, 2020.
Police recaptured Reymark delos Reyes, Harris Danacao, Mark Oliver Gamutia, Aldwin Jhoe Espilla, Arnel Buccat and Reynaldo Bantiling.
Delos Reyes, Danacao and Gamutia are detained over illegal drugs charges while Espilla was charged with carnapping, and Buccat and Bantiling are facing charges of illegal possession of firearms.
Menor said pursuit operations against the seven other escapees were ongoing.
The 13 detainees escaped through a hole in the wall of their detention cell at the Caloocan City Custodial Facility Unit Extension on Thursday morning, October 22, 2020.
The said facility was intended for persons under police custody (PUPC) who are waiting for the result of their RT-PCR test for Sars-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
There were 31 PUPC in the said facility.
National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Director Debold Sinas has ordered a region-wide intensive manhunt operation against the escapees.
“Different units have been alerted to stay on the ground and be in full force to apprehend the fugitives who yielded positive during the rapid test for Covid-19,” said Sinas.
The officer on duty was reportedly pre-occupied in his table fronting the jail cell, preparing necessary documents for their supposed commitment to the Caloocan City Jail.
He was relieved from post pending the conduct of investigation.
Sinas also ordered all chiefs of police and station commanders to inspect lock-up cells and determine weak areas and vulnerabilities to prevent occurrence of similar incidents. (SunStar Philippines)