QC jail gatekeeper in hot water over trio’s escape

A policeman faces administrative and criminal charges after three prisoners escaped from a detention cell at the Kamuning police station in Quezon City at 4 a.m. on Monday.

“[Senior Police Officer 1 Chester] Ticobay is under the restrictive custody of station commander Superintendent Marcelino Pedrozo Jr. but the investigation will be done here at headquarters,” Quezon City Police District director Chief Superintendent Mario de la Vega said.

A manhunt is now underway for the escapees who were identified as Roel Dantes, Jestoni Tributo and Jedi San Luis.

Based on police records, Dantes and Tributo are in prison for robbery while San Luis is detained for illegal drug possession.

According to Pedrozo, Ticobay, who was the duty desk officer at the time of the jailbreak, told him that he was escorting a new detainee into the cell when the three inmates shoved him aside and ran out of the door.

Ticobay added that he tried to chase the escapees but he lost them after they crossed Edsa. The police station is situated on the southbound lane of the thoroughfare.

He said that after that, he returned to the police station to prevent other detainees from escaping.

De la Vega, however, said there was apparent negligence on Ticobay’s part after he failed to lock the first gate leading to the cell as he was escorting the new prisoner in.

Pedrozo, meanwhile, said the policeman would be charged administratively for serious neglect of duty in addition to a criminal case of evasion through negligence.

He added that they were also investigating the other policemen on duty at the time the escape occurred.