Mandaue jail escapee shot, recaptured

After more than a week of being a fugitive, a Mandaue City jail escapee was finally recaptured yesterday.

Ricky Andojar, 20, was shot in the left thigh when he tried to run away from policemen who arrested him in Consolacion town  in north Cebu about 10 a.m.

Andojar, who is facing charges of illegal drugs possession, robbery, and illegal possession of firearms, slipped  from his jail escorts after attending a court hearing last May 22 at the Mandaue City Hall of Justice.

Police were tipped off that  Andojar was hiding in a friend’s house in barangay Poblacion Oriental.

His  friend, a certain Iboy, coordinated with the police, said P03 Reynaldo Solante, team leader of the arresting team from the Provincial Intelligence Branch (PIB).

Andojar who was outside Iboy’s house noticed the policemen and tried to run.

Solante shot the inmate to stop him.

“There was no intention to kill him (Andojar). We only wanted to arrest him,” said Senior Supt. Patrocinio Comendador Jr., chief of the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO).

Andojar had a bandaged thigh and dextrose tube in his left hand when he was presented at the CPPO before he was brought to the hospital for treatment.

Andojar had evaded two previous police operations to arrest him.

He said he decided to escape because living conditions in jail were difficult.

He said food was insufficient, and he slept without a pillow or blanket.

Andojar also  said he was afraid he’d be beaten up because he owed more than P400 to a fellow inmate for cigarettes and food.

Andojar said he had been warned about the punishment  if he failed to settle the debt.

“Bunalan man akong lubot ug ligid sa kalesa, takalan basta di kabayad.” (If I don’t pay, he’ll whip my buttocks with the rubber tire of a calesa.)

Andojar said he was once whipped this way before in the jail.

The practice of whipping locally called “takal” is not allowed in the jail  along with cigarettes.

Bryan Roy Mercado, deputy warden of BJMP and the Mandaue City Jail, said he would investigate the inmate’s allegations.

After his escape, Andojar said he moved from  one place to another by riding  jeepneys.

Andojar, the youngest  among seven children, said  he planned to surrender when police went to his aunt’s house in barangay Bajac, Liloan town, northern Cebu, last May 24.

“Mo-surrender na unta ko sa Liloan. Unya daghan man ug mga police. Nag-ilog, naglalis, nagpabuto naman  (I planned to surrender but there were many policemen that time. They were arguing and they fired a gun),”  Andojar said.

Andojar said he envied  other inmates who had visitors who brought them food.

Andojar’s mother and a female neighbor were arrested after they tried to block policemen from arresting the inmate in their house in barangay Binaliw, Cebu City, last week.

“Wa man ko nagmahay. Ako man sad ning gituyoan (I did not regret it because this is all my fault),”Andojar said. /WITH A REPORT FROM CORRESPONDENT NORMAN V. MENDOZA