5 Laguna jailbreakers still at large

Camp Vicente Lim, Laguna – Five of the 16 detainees who bolted the Biñan municipal jail remained at large yesterday. This, as four of the escapees gave themselves up to authorities over the weekend, police said.

Senior Superintendent Manolito Labador, Laguna police director, said seven other escapees also surrendered a few hours after the jailbreak in the early morning of Oct. 1.

The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology and the Biñan municipal government offered a total reward of P180,000 for any information that would lead to the arrest of the fugitives.

Last Saturday, escapee John Lizardo, who is facing illegal drug charges, surrendered to a councilor who in turn facilitated his turnover to the Biñan municipal jail.

Later that day, another inmate, Edwin de Vega, a robbery suspect, gave himself up to the barangay chairman of Mamplasan, Biñan.

Yesterday, Reymundo Salde, 41, who is serving a jail term for illegal drugs, decided to turn himself in upon his parents’ prodding.

Salde, with his parents, approached barangay captain Florencio Baysantos to facilitate his surrender to Task Force Biñan Jailbreak through the police chief of Silang, Cavite.

Another escapee, Junar Emeterio, who is involved in a car theft case, surrendered to Superintendent Masongsong of the Regional Special Operations Group.

Superintendent Mafelino Bazar, Biñan police chief, said still being hunted down are Angelo Estrella, Adolfo Tanael, Jhonil Otbo, Edwin Osis, and Rudy Pagkaliwangan.

Last Oct. 1, Jail Officers 1 Nestor Sabado and Novel Chicay were told that Jemar Babia, one of the 148 detained at the municipal jail, collapsed after vomiting blood in their cell.

Chicay, assisted by inmate Wilson Esteban, rushed Babia to the nearest hospital on board a tricycle.

When Esteban was about to return to his cell, then manned solely by JO1 Sabado, the former pushed the jail guard and tried to grab his gun.

While the two were grappling for the gun, the other inmates took advantage of it and escaped. Esteban was able to eventually flee, too.

BJMP chief Rosendo Dial sacked the Biñan jail warden, Chief Inspector Gonzales Oggang, and replaced him with Chief Inspector Melchor Antigue pending investigation into the jailbreak.  – With Ed Amoroso