CEBU, Philippines - A prisoner who allegedly escaped from jail in Palo, Leyte, at the height of typhoon Yolanda was arrested in Cebu City yesterday.
Miriam Desacada Garcia, a human trafficking suspect, was shopping at a downtown department store when Jeizen Rey Udtujan, a prison guard of the Leyte Provincial Jail in Palo, chanced upon her around 5 p.m.
In an interview Udtujan, said it was actually his wife who first spotted Garcia.
"Nasa loob kami ng Unitop, sinabihan ako ng asawa ko na parang kamukha daw ng isa sa mga preso namin iyong babae sa tapat namin. Pagtingin ko, sabi ko, oo, siya nga iyon," said Udtujan.
The prison guard, himself is a victim of the typhoon, evacuated to Cebu with his family. They are staying with a relative in Talisay City.
He said Garcia is one of at least 500 prisoners in the Leyte Provincial Jail who were allowed to leave their cells when the storm struck last November 8 so they would not drown in the storm surge. As the storm eventually destroyed the jail, many inmates were able to escape from the compound.
Yesterday, after seeing Garcia leaving the store, Udtujan immediately coordinated with the security guards and a traffic enforcer, who then called for police assistance.
Personnel from Carbon Police Station arrived and apprehended the suspect who tried to resist. She was then detained. — (FREEMAN)