Tacloban cops hunting down jail inmate who escaped

Tacloban City (Image from Google Maps)

TACLOBAN CITY — The police are conducting a manhunt for an inmate who escaped from its custodial facility on Sunday night. Another inmate who escaped with him had chosen to surrender hours after the jailbreak.

Chief Inspector Joel Talagon, chief of the investigation unit of the Tacloban City Police Office (TCPO), identified the prisoner as Mark Paul Gradillo, 25, a resident of Barangay 62-A Sangkahan District who was facing charges for drug peddling.

He and another inmate, Rogelio Lao, 29, broke out from the facility at 11:15 p.m. on Sunday after Lao pretended that he was having difficulty breathing.

PO3 Mark Bardillon, who was the duty officer at that time, helped Lao and brought the detainee to the lobby inside the compound to catch some air.

Gradillo then wrestled with Bardillon as Lao forcibly opened the main gate of the facility and ran.

Gradillo pushed Bardillon and sprinted out from the facility.

The two ran outside toward the directions of Magsaysay Boulevard where there was a vehicle waiting for them.

However, Lao, who was facing charges of  frustrated homicide, surrendered to their village chairman, Ma. Nilda Brazil of Brarangay 36, about 6:30 a.m. on Monday.

Brazil called the police to pick up Lao.

At present, there are 64 inmates at the TCP custodial facility – many of them facing cases involving illegal drugs. /atm