Kidapawan escapee slain, 3 others fall

Army troops gunned down one escapee and captured three others in Kabacan, North Cotabato during pursuit operations for 48 inmates who escaped from the provincial jail in Kidapawan City last week.

Lt. Col. Bartolome Bacarro, Armed Forces Public Information Office chief, said members of the Army’s 602nd Infantry Battalion intercepted the four escapees in Sitio Siento Trenta, Barangay Pedtad in Kabacan at around 2:15 p.m. yesterday.

"This is a major breakthrough in our manhunt against the escapees," said Bacarro, quoting Armed Forces chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr.

Bacarro said the arrest of the three escapees and the killing of another is expected to lead government forces to the whereabouts of the remaining fugitives.

Bacarro identified the slain escapee as Indong Taligapen, who was charged with murder and frustrated murder. The soldiers recovered from the suspect an M16 rifle.

Two of the three arrested escapees were identified as Lando Serrano and Johnny Maaanib. All three are also facing murder and frustrated murder charges.

The four were among the 48 detainees who escaped last Feb. 2 from the North Cotabato Provincial Jail in Kidapawan City after an attack was launched by over 60 suspected members of the notorious Pentagon Gang led by Tahir Alonto, leader of the kidnap-for-ransom group.

Bacarro said the three captured suspects are now detained at the headquarters of the 602nd Infantry Brigade.

"We need their cooperation to locate the other escapees," Bacarro said.

Esperon had ordered the deployment of Army soldiers along the Cotabato highway to prevent the escapees from attacking passing motorists and bus passengers.

Until yesterday, all efforts to account for the escapees proved futile as they were reported to have sought haven in the territory controlled by Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels in the Liguasan Marsh.