In an interview over dxND, Gantuangco said the city government is also set to file administrative charges against jail warden Inspector Buenaventura Pedrita and his staff for the escape of a high-profile convict and another inmate on Sunday morning.
The mayor expressed fears the escape of Musali Cado, a.k.a. Commander Dyanggo of the so-called Al Khobar Group, could lead to more bombings in the region.
Cado is charged with murder, multiple frustrated murder and multiple attempted murder in connection with the bombing of a mall in Kidapawan City on Nov 22, 2007 which killed a mall employee and injured eight others, including a police officer.
Police said Cado was also responsible for the escape of 48 inmates at the Cotabato Provincial Rehabilitation Center in Amas village here last February 2, 2007.
“Cado is such a big man of the Al Khobar. I was so frustrated that he was able to escape without the knowledge of the jail guards,” said Gantuangco.
Cado, together with theft convict Samuel Nasario, escaped around 3 a.m. on Sunday by destroying the grills of their prison cell.
The mayor only learned of Cado’s escape around 10 a.m.
“What angered me all the more was that I only learned of it after seven hours,” he said.
The BJMP in Region 12 has started its probe on the possible culpability of Pedrita and his men in the escape.
Inspector Jo Anthony Gargarita, spokesman for the BJMP-12, told reporters here sanctions would be imposed against Pedrita if he would be found to have been remiss in his job.
Pedrita, in an interview over dxND, said he is willing to submit himself to the investigation.
“I am willing to face all the charges that would be filed against me. I know this is just part of the process. And in the course of the investigation, I believe the truth will come out,” Pedrita said. (Malu Cadelina Manar/MindaNews)