Manhunt is on for 9 inmates in Camarines Sur jailbreak

PILI, Camarines Sur—Police and jail personnel have launched a massive manhunt in the town of Pili and neighboring areas in search of  nine inmates who bolted the Camarines provincial jail shortly before 1 a.m. on Wednesday, authorities said.

The inmates, who all belonged to one cell inside the jail facility located in Barangay Tinagis in Pili town, some 11 kilometers from the town proper, were able to escape by sawing the steel bars of their toilet, according to PO1 Edgar Cerillo, an investigator from the Pili municipal police office.

He said authorities did not recover the saw used in cutting the opening for the escape, which measured around 2 feet x 1.5 feet.

Jail warden Jose Francisco Musa said they discovered the jailbreak when jail supervisor Marlon Argarin was doing his rounds at 12:45 a.m., during which time police were also informed of the prison break.

He said he immediately called Senior Supt. Romero Bausa, provincial police director, and Chief Insp. Benjamin Spaña, the town’s police chief, about the prison break.

Musa identified the escapees as Muriel San Joaquin, who is facing car theft charges; Richard Tell, statutory rape; Juan Polidario, illegal possession of a firearm; Kalim Padillo, frustrated murder; Roy Cabaltera, rape; Erwin Capus and Eugene Porutas, illegal drug possession; Roland Negrido, murder, and Lloyd Gilford Embile, robbery.

The nine escapees were among 41 inmates in the same cell, said Musa. There were 226 inmates before the jailbreak.