KIDAPAWAN CITY – Authorities on Saturday announced the arrest of an alleged drug lord, who escaped from the North Cotabato district jail here in January along with more than 100 other detainees.
Senior Supt. Emmanuel Peralta, the North Cotabato police director, said Melvin Casangyao, who also financed the January 4, 2017 jail rescue by armed men that set him free and other inmates, was arrested in his safe house in Barangay Onica here on Friday.
Peralta said a resident tipped off the police about Casangyao’s presence in the village.
Then acting North Cotabato Gov. Shierly Macasarte said Casangyao – who was arrested over murder charges a few years back – had contracted Esmael Nasser alias Commander Derby, a former member of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, to stage the attack.
Derby was also a former inmate at the NCDJ but was able to escape.
While in jail, Casangyao and Derby developed friendship and maintained contacts through various forms.
Authorities said Casangyao eventually forged a P2-million deal with Derby to set him free.
Peralta said Casangyao was now back at the North Cotabato district jail under heavy guard.
With the arrest of the suspected drug lord, more than 90 escapees remained at large and were being hunted down, Peralta said.