FILE PHOTO: New Bilibid Prison. INQUIRER/GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) has vowed to help track down and arrest inmates who escaped the Maximum Security Compound of the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) on Monday morning.
“The Philippine National Police will assist the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) to recapture three convicts who bolted the National Penitentiary in Muntinlupa,” it said in a statement released later on Monday.
It added that it already flashed an all-points bulletin to all police units within Metro Manila and nearby provinces.
“These fugitives are presumed armed and considered dangerous; and must be approached with caution,” the PNP said.
The prisoners who fled the NBP’s Maximum Security Compound around 1:20 a.m. Monday were identified as Drakilou Yosores, Arwin Bio, and Pacific Villaruz — all of whom were serving their sentences for murder and homicide.
An initial investigation showed that the three inmates escaped by “sawing the grilled bars of their window” before shooting the duty guard at Gate 4 (near the tower). They then proceeded to Gate 3 and shot another prison guard before fleeing to Sitio Magdaong, NBP Reservation Area.
READ: 3 inmates escape from New Bilibid Prison’s maximum security compound
The 49-year-old Villaruz, however, was killed during a subsequent manhunt operation jointly conducted by the PNP and BuCor also on Monday morning.
The PNP explained that as national prisoners, warrantless arrest applies for their immediate arrest on sight by any member of a law enforcement agency or its deputized agents.
“The public is encouraged to report any sighting of these individuals to the Bureau of Corrections thru Tel No. 09186001081 or to the nearest police station,” it said.
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