5 Cagayan cops face charges for jailbreak

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan — Five policemen, including the deputy police chief of Pamplona, one of Cagayan’s northernmost municipalities, are facing dismissal from the service for last week’s escape of four murder suspects.

One of the escapees, Carlo Domingo, 21, a frustrated murder suspect, was slain in a shootout with pursuing lawmen in neighboring Abulug town last Monday.

Senior Superintendent Rodrigo De Gracia, provincial police director, said they were holding SPO4 Edgar Telan, Pamplona deputy police chief, SPO3 Domingo Estoque, SPO1 Cresencio Guma, SPO1 Dominador Caranguian Jr. and PO3 Johnny Torida responsible for the Sept. 4 jailbreak.

Another escapee, Jimboy Parec, 21, surrendered the other day. Still at large are Virgilio Batucan, 19, and Efren David, 28. Police have offered a P10,000 reward for their capture.

Police have recovered two of the three M-14 Armalite rifles which the escapees had stolen from the police armory.

De Gracia said Telan and his four men, who were all on duty when the jailbreak took place, face charges of "serious neglect of duty and infidelity in the custody of prisoners."

If found guilty, they could be dismissed from the police service and their benefits forfeited, De Gracia said.

One of the five policemen reportedly got a massage from Domingo, sending him to sleep and giving the four inmates a chance to escape. The four other lawmen were said to be out of the police station then.

However, Chief Inspector Lito Atienza, Pamplona cop chief, was cleared of any liability for the jailbreak.

De Gracia said Chief Inspector Lito Atienza, Pamplona police chief, was on official travel and could not held responsible for the incident.