Inmate shot for trying to escape

CEBU, Philippines – An inmate of the Cebu City Jail landed at the hospital after a jail guard shot him for trying to escape detention at 9 p.m. last Wednesday.

Arnel Saladaga, 25, a resident of Barangay Suba Pasil sustained a gunshot wound to his stomach and was rushed to Cebu City Medical Center.

According to Supt. Efren Nemeño, jail warden of the Cebu City Jail in Barangay Kalunasan, Saladaga tried to escape by destroying the barbed wire of the secondary fence beside the facility’s chapel.

Saladaga then reportedly climbed the perimeter fence of the nearby Operation Second Chance and tried to escape from there despite the repeated warning of Jail Officer 1 Eric Anguit.

Investigation showed that when the bell for head counting at 9 p.m. was given, JO1 Radante Galia, the guard tower five, noticed an inmate, later identified as Saladaga, was at the prohibited area beside the chapel.

He then allegedly loaded his M16 rifle but unable to fire and instead shouted repeatedly, “Takas!” that was heard by Anguit who was prompted to make a warning shot to stop Saladaga.

The suspect, however, did not heed the warning that resulted in a chase.

Nemeño said that Anguit was prompted to shoot Saladaga with his .45 caliber service firearm more or less 150 meters from the Operation Second Chance fence.

The jail official added that after Saladaga is released from the hospital, he will be placed in the isolation area as he is an escape-prone and suicidal individual because he is not afraid to be shot.

Nemeño said he believes there was no lapse on the part of the jail guards but he said they will still conduct an investigation to verify it.

The warden said the head counting of inmates is done three times a day – every 7 a.m., 5 p.m., and lastly at 9 p.m.

On May 26, Saladaga also reportedly escaped from his police escorts at 1:30 p.m. inside the Marcelo B. Fernan Palace of Justice where he was brought for the filing of complaint against him. He was arrested last May 22 for alleged illegal possession of firearms, a violation of Sec. 11 of Republic Act 9165.

He escaped from his escorts PO2 Marvin Sanson and PO2 Eric Ricardel, who brought him to the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office to file the complaint against him. — Niña G. Sumacot/WAB (THE FREEMAN)