The escapee, Eduardo Ocampo, is serving a six-year jail term for robbery and has a pending case of illegal possession of firearms in the Angeles City Municipal Trial Court Branch 2.
Records show that Ocampo has escaped five times before.
Escorts PG2 Florante Narcise and PG1 Albert Avelina lost sight of Ocampo as they were waiting for a jeepney ride in Dau, Mabala—cat town on their way to the court.
Bilibid officials said it has been a normal procedure to bring inmates summoned to provincial courts through public transport.
"They are normally handcuffed and in prison uniform whenever they attend hearings in provincial courts," NBP superintendent Mario Trasmonte.
A source said Ocampo has sent surrender feelers but demanded that he would only yield to Msgr. Roberto Olaguer, the NBP chaplain.