SURIGAO CITY (MindaNews/27 June) – Five inmates escaped from the detention cell of the police station here dawn today by cutting off two iron bars, but one of them voluntarily returned, saying he was only forced by the other escaping detainees to join them.
Authorities identified the escapees as Henry Limosnero, Junren Balonsio and Angelo Legada, who are facing theft charges; Albert Saavedra, who was charged of illegal possession of firearm; and Reneboy Amper, who is accused of robbery.
Supt. Jonathan G. Trojello, Surigao City police chief, refused to talk to MindaNews, saying he already reported the incident to his superiors.
Limosnero was the one who opted to come back almost an hour after the escape. The four others, meanwhile, are still at large.
He said he was not aware of the other inmates’ plan, and learned of it only when he was awakened by the noise. When he got up to use the toilet, one of the inmates reportedly pulled him and threatened to harm him if he would make noise.
It was about 2:30 a.m. when they escaped, through an opening in one of the cell’s walls.
“They forced me to join them so I could not make noise and report them to the policemen,” Limosnero said.
He then went straight to their house in Barangay Luna, about three kilometers from the jail, and sought his parents’ guidance.
His mother Jovita told reporters she convinced her son to return to jail so his case will not anymore go complicated. She and husband vowed to their son they will post bail for his temporary liberty.
The inmates escaped through a small opening, made possible by cutting two 16mm iron bars, that was just perfect fit for their bodies.
The rest of the inmates in the same cell have been transferred by SPO1 Gerlie Llego, the duty custodian, to the next cell. (Roel N. Catoto / MindaNews)
