Cubao police station chief sacked following jailbreak
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MANILA, Philippines—New Year’s eve brought a new embarrassment to the Quezon City police after 16 of 53 detainees at the Cubao police station in Barangay Kaunlaran escaped in the wee hours of Wednesday.
The escapees, accused of such crimes as possession of deadly weapons, illegal gambling, theft, robbery, frustrated homicide or murder, and rape, escaped through the detention cell’s ceiling.
The jail break prompted Quezon City police district (QCPD) director Senior Supt. Joel Pagdilao to relieve Cubao commander Supt. Wilson de los Santos, who is now being investigated for serious neglect of duty and infidelity in the custody of detainees.
De los Santos assumed the post only last September.
All other personnel involved, including the desk officer at the time of the escape, will also be subjected to the same probe, Pagdilao said.
In a report on the incident, De los Santos said the detainees escaped around 2:30 a.m., when the desk officer, SPO1 Jade Gavina, was on a bathroom break.
The desk officer’s post is situated only an arm’s reach away from the detention cell bars. The detention cell is located on the fringes of the Cubao police station on the corner of P. Tuazon Avenue and Edsa.
Gavina sensed something was amiss when he heard noises on the roof. The police went outside to P. Tuazon Avenue to get a better view of the roof, only to see one last detainee disappearing into the night.
Pagdilao said the detainees sawed off the iron grills covering the ceiling in their cell, though the saw was not recovered.
Cubao police explained to a bewildered Pagdilao that the detainees tended to be boisterous, possibly to drown out the sound of sawing.
Tracker teams have been deployed to go after the escapees. One of them, Roberto Lacaba, 25, jailed for alarm and scandal, was surrendered by his mother.
Still being hunted down are John Sicat, 30, accused of causing physical injuries; Benedict Guinto, 18, Miguel Glino, 22, Rene Flores, 31, Jeremy Llena, 25, Dennis Natividad, 27, and Thomas Evan, 25, all accused of possession deadly weapons; robbery suspects Roberto Valdez, 30, Roland Araneta, 18, Wilmar Morales, 38, and CJ Nuque, 19; Emerson Castro, 20, accused of frustrated homicide; theft suspect Rigor Alejandrino, 30; Alvin Lorensaga, 27, accused of estafa; and John Patrick Dionido, accused of rape and robbery-holdup.
Supt. Marlo Martinez, former head of the Quezon city police’s ”Task Force Kalsada,” was designated officer-in-charge of the Cubao police station, following De los Santos’ relief.
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