2 more escapees from CPPO cell surrender

Two of the eight detained drug suspects who bolted Thursday night from the improvised stockade of the Cebu Provincial Police Office in barangay Lahug surrendered to the San Fernando Police on Friday morning.

The two, Jeston Tantan and Rex Abanilla, were then turned over to the CPPO later in the day. They followed Anecito Antiempo, one of the escapees, who surrendered to councilman Noel Bienvenido of barangay Pitalo in San Fernando hours after the escape.

This left Iridea Baricuatro, Junnie Cabusas, Ancelmo Saz Jr., Johnriel Aguanta and Joseph Canonigo still at-large. All of them have been residents of barangay Pitalo in San Fernando.

San Fernando Police Station chief Insp. Francis Deveyra said yesterday that the two had surrendered out of fear that they will be facing stiffer penalty over their escape.

“Nangahadlok sila nga basin modako ug mobug-at na hinuon ang ilang kaso,” Deveyra said.

The eight men were arrested last February 4 by operatives of the CPPO and the Regional Investigation Division (RID) during a raid on a suspected drug den. The raiding team then turned over the suspects to the San Fernando police for detention.

The escape of the drug suspects from detention became more controversial because of two conflicting statements from the personnel of CPPO and of the RID. 

On Thursday morning, PO3 Danilo Lopez of the RID went to San Fernando to fetch the suspects for their court hearing in Cebu City. At about 5 p.m. that day, Lopez and a colleague arrived at the CPPO to detain the suspects, but the Provincial Intelligence and Investigation Branch (PIIB) headed by Supt. Juanito Enguerra refused to accept them due to lack of an order of “living bodies.”

Enguerra also said that he could not accept them also because the detention cell, an improvised container van beside the PIIB office, had no padlock. At about 6:30 p.m., RID personnel returned bringing with them the order and a padlock. Duty officer PO1 Junarey Barangan then signed the order and accepted the suspects for detention.

Enguerra said that after the order was signed, the RID personnel requested Barangan to allow them to taken the eight detainees out for supper. This was approved but at around 10 p.m., San Fernando desk officer PO1 Ronel Patalinghug got a call from Supt. Julius Cesar Gornes, RID deputy official, informing that the eight men escaped from the detention cell of the CPPO.  

Enguerra said Barangan has no liability for the escape because the RID personnel assumed responsibility over the detainees when they took the latter out for supper.

A contrasting version of the escape story however came. Deveyra, in a telephone interview, said that the three escapees who surrendered had declared that they escaped from the detention cell of the CPPO.

“Mi-eskapo sila gikan sulod kuno sa prisohan.” Deveyra quoted the statements of the three who surrendered. “Ilang giguba ang prisohan unya yano ra kaayo ang ilang paggawas kay wala man pud kuno’y nakabantay nila.”

Lopez already denied taking the detainees out for supper, and that they only brought food to the cell of the latter. He also explained to RID chief Sr. Supt. Augusto Marquez that the eight were already inside the cell when they escaped.

CPPO director, Sr. Supt. Carmelo Valmoria, already ordered the Regional Investigation and Detective Management Division, headed by Sr. Supt. Ranulfo Evangelista, to investigate the matter. — Garry B. Lao/RAE