5 bolt Surigao City jail

MANILA, Philippines—Police authorities are on the lookout for five inmates who escaped before dawn Wednesday from Surigao City police station, police said Thursday.

Superintendent Martin Gamba, Caraga police spokesman, identified the fugitives as Junren Balonsio, charged with theft; Reneboy Amper, charged with robbery; Albert Saavedra, charged with violation of Republic Act 8294; Angelo Legarda, charged with theft; and Henry Limosnero, charged with theft.

However, just after less than an hour after the jailbreak from the one-story police station around 2:30 a.m., Limosnero voluntarily surrendered to officers.

He claimed he was aroused from sleep by noise, which he then realized was caused by grills being destroyed and opened.

Gamba quoted Limosnero as saying that he was threatened by Amper not to alarm the duty police officers and was persuaded to join in the escape.

Personnel of the police station have already dispatched to recapture the remaining escapees and adjacent police stations have been directed to conduct checkpoints.

The eight police officers who were on duty during the escape were relieved of their posts while investigations are ongoing, Police Inspector Tessiel Moleta, police community relations chief of Surigao City police, said. Jamie Marie Elona, INQUIRER.net