Two PDLs who escaped from Caloocan facility had tested positive for COVID-19

MANILA, Philippines — Two of thirteen persons deprived of liberty who escaped from a temporary detention facility in Caloocan City had tested positive for the coronavirus, the chief of Caloocan City Police said Thursday. 

Speaking in an interview aired over DZBB Super Radyo, Police Col. Dario Menor said that 15 prisoners had escaped by digging a hole in the wall, but police were able to track down and arrest two of them immediately after.

Another one had also only been caught at 8 a.m. on Thursday morning. 

One PDL was held on illegal possession of firearms charges while the rest were charged with theft and possession of illegal drugs. 

"The facility used to be a warehouse, and they were able to get something nailed to the wall. That's what they used to break through the wall...the past few days have been rainy, and we don't let our policemen go inside the jail [since] some of them (the PDLs) tested positive," he said in Filipino. 

"The others who were among the 13, were not accepted into the [Bureau of Jail Management and Penology] because they were thin and had a cough so they were taken to a temporary detention facility," he added. 

Menor was careful to clarify that the two positive PDLs had only tested positive in rapid tests, which the health department holds is not as conclusive as an RT-PCR test. 

The prisoners are also under commitment orders to undergo rapid testing, he added.  — Franco Luna