Inmate lights up toilet; 6 cops to be investigated

Six policemen are in hot water after a 22-year-old inmate at the Cebu City Police Office detention cell allegedly set the ceiling of a comfort room on fire to confuse authorities and then escape last Sunday.

Supt. Carmelo Dayon, chief of City Police Public Safety Co.,  said SPO2 Isagni Ceniza, SPO1 George Samodio,  PO3 Miguelito Cañete, PO2 Romel Tamosa and  SPO2 Celestino Alvarez and  SPO1 Parluon Torrifiel would be investigated for negligence of duty.

Police said the fire that was allegedly started by robbery suspect Clemente Jever Jr.  was already contained when firemen responded.

Dayon said that to start a commotion, Jever, who was arrested last Feb. 27,  lighted a cigarette and placed it in an electric wire to catch fire.

“Kun naa nay sunog, ang mga pulis mapugos og pagawas sa mga priso og posibli nga adto na siya mo-eskapo (During a fire, policemen would be forced to release the prisoners for safety. And it’s possible that he planned  his escape by then),” said Dayon.

Dayon said Jever also started sawing the bars of the detention cell but was stopped when one of the inmates reported him to the guards.

But in an interview, Jever said he was smoking near the comfort room when he heard the announcement for head count and threw the cigarette butt.

But it landed on the ceiling with a pile of trash.

He admitted, however, that he sawed the bars in the cell.

On Sunday evening, police inspected the detention  facility and found  matches, hack saw, lighter and cigarettes.

Dayon said additional charges will be filed against the suspect./correspondent chito aragon