Cebu City Jail escapee captured in Dalaguete town

Authorities recaptured a Cebu City Jail inmate who escaped by duping his guard while being confined at the Cebu City Medical Center last Friday evening.

A team from Bureau of Jail Management and Penology of Cebu City Jail led by Insp. Richard Laurie recaptured Ruben Janubas, 26, a resident of barangay Sapangdaku, who escaped from the custody of JO1 Jerdon Lee Saturre.

Janubas was the suspect in the murder of a 14-year-old boy in Sapangdaku last June 28.

The suspect, according to witnesses, dragged the boy to the river for unknown reason. But the boy, believed to have been armed with a bladed weapon, fought back and stabbed the suspect in the stomach.

The body of the boy was found few meters downstream where Janubas was found bloodied near the riverbank before he was rushed to the hospital for his stab wound. Janubas was positively identified by friends of the boy as the one who attacked the victim.

The Homicide Section of the Cebu City Police Office filed charges of murder in relation to child abuse against the suspect.

Janubas was arrested inside the house of his common-law wife in barangay Dumalan, Dalaguete Monday dawn.

Sr. Supt. Efren Nemeño said the suspect was hiding in a cave near his live-in partner’s house and would only come out during the night to get food and clothes.

But with the help of the barangay officials and some residents, the team caught up with him.

Janubas managed to free himself from being handcuffed while being confined at the hospital. Then climbed up a window of the surgical ward and clung onto a nearby tree outside before going down.

He then hid under the bridge near the Citilink Terminal and waited until dawn before going to the Carbon Public Market in barangay Ermita and hitched a ride on a delivery truck carrying vegetables from Dalaguete.

Meanwhile, JO1 Saturre was relieved from the city jail to the regional headquarters of the BJMP pending result of the pre-charge investigation.

The jailguard would possibly be facing administrative charges for gross neglect of duties and infidelity in the custody of prisoner for criminal charges.

Nemeño, however said, the explanation of Janubas would greatly affect the ongoing investigation against Saturre.

 Janubas said he is afraid to be taken to the city jail, prompting him to escape. – Edwin Ian Melecio/MEEV