Search on for missing Bilibid inmate

MANILA, Philippines — Authorities are searching for an inmate from the New Bilibid Prison (NBP)’s maximum security compound who has been missing since July 15.

Michael Angelo Cataroja, 25, is serving his sentence for violating the anti-fencing law and is on trial for car theft, NBP officer-in-charge Supt. Angelina Bautista said on Friday.

The maximum security compound houses inmates with a prison sentence of at least 20 years.

The Philippine Coast Guard’s search and rescue team has joined the search for Cataroja within the prison, which is 10.87 hectares.

“We have not yet finished searching even a half a hectare,” Bautista said, adding that they would continue scouring the rest of the area covered by the NBP, which would take up to four days.

Prison officials cannot yet confirm whether Cataroja is still within the premises or has escaped.

According to Bautista, 30 security officers and the camp commander were relieved following the incident.

The Bureau of Corrections has on standby recovery, rescue and intelligence teams that will act once it is confirmed that the inmate has escaped. The NBP is under the supervision of the BuCor.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla has ordered BuCor director general Gregorio Catapang Jr. to leave no stone unturned in tracking down the missing inmate.

Remulla said there is a need to establish regional prisons to address the disproportionate ratio of prison officers to inmates.

“If we don’t regionalize our jails and the number of our prison officers shrinks to 2,500 per prison, we will have a problem on our hands,” he said in a briefing on Friday.