Manhunt on for suspects in slay of Bilibid anomaly whistleblower

Have you seen these men? Report them to authorities if you know their whereabouts because they are wanted for the death of a prison guard. Photo credit to Bureau of Corrections

Authorities have launched a manhunt for two suspects in the death of a prison guard who exposed anomalies inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP).

Kabungsuan Makilala, a prison guard at the Davao Penal Colony (DAPECOL), was shot to death early this month while boarding a bus bound for Davao City.

DAPECOL is one of the prison facilities under the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor).

BuCor Chief Benjamin Delos Santos said those being hunted are Kenneth Escasiñas Pajod and Reynard Cotamura Ingay, both from Panabo City, Davao Del Norte.

Delos Santos said a complaint for murder and four counts of frustrated murder have been filed against the two before the Davao Del Norte Prosecutors Office.

The complainants include Erlinada Makilala, Police Officer 3 Paulo Pablo, Marilyn Bediones, Elena Balase and Elvera Paulo.

After shooting the victim, Pablo who was about to board the same bus where the victim was shot engaged the suspects in a firefight.  The gunfight injured the police officers and the three other complainants-Bediones, Balase and Paulo.

The complainants positively identified the two suspects.

The two have outstanding warrants of arrest in pending cases.

“Their capture can result in the identification of the mastermind,” Delos Santos said.

Kabungsuan was a former prison guard in Bilibid. In 2012, the victim was admitted to the government’s Witness Protection Program (WPP) because of his exposé on a series of anomalies inside Bilibid, including VIP treatments and food bidding anomaly.

However, a year later, he was removed from the WPP and reassigned to DAPECOL.