2 more inmates recovered; manhunt still on for 12 others who bolted from Bacoor jail

Two inmates who bolted from the Bacoor City Custodial Center in Bacoor City, Cavite on Friday were recovered by authorities on Saturday night, Bacoor Police chief Superintendent Vicente Cabatingan said on Sunday.

The inmates were identified as Ferc Leo Melendrez and Norberto Hidalgo. Melendrez was arrested in Meycauayan, Bulacan, while Hidalgo was nabbed in Cavite City. Prior to the jailbreak, both inmates were detained for robbery charges.

This brings the total number of inmates recaptured to 11, Cabatingan said in an interview with Super Radyo dzBB.

Manhunt operations are ongoing for 12 more inmates who are still missing as of posting time, he added.

On Friday afternoon, 23 inmates, most of them facing drug charges, bolted from the Bacoor City Custodial Center as a guard attempted to return a prisoner into a cell.

Cabatingan said they received feelers on Sunday morning that some of the inmates still at large wanted to surrender.

"Kaninang umaga, may nagpapahiwatig na gusto na po nilang sumuko dahil sa sunod-sunod na apprehension sa mga kasamahan nilang tumakas," he said.

Cabatingan said some of those they recaptured were found in their homes or were tracked through the help of citizens.

"'Yung ibang tumakas, dumaan sa bahay nila, kumuha ng pera at damit, sabay tumakas. 'Yung iba naman, naabutan namin sa bahay, hindi pa nakakaalis. 'Yung iba naman talaga ay sa tulong ng mga ka-barangay natin dito sa Bacoor and even sa nearby cities and municipalities sa Cavite," he said.

Cabatingan clarified that those who bolted from the detention center will face charges anew for escaping.

He also said five personnel on duty during the jailbreak have already been relieved, along with three others working at the custodial center. New personnel have already been deployed to man the facility.

"Bago po lahat ng nilagay sa custodial center," Cabatingan said, adding that the current personnel now number to around 20 since they added people.

He also said that the custodial center, which is far from the police headquarters, used to be a police station and was not designed to be a prison facility.

"Ang design ay hindi pang-kulungan," he said.

For now, visitors are not allowed inside the custodial center, but the food they bring are brought in by guards and given to the inmates.

"Sa labas muna dahil total lockdown ang kulungan. Inaayos pa natin 'yung mga possible na nagpaplano pa [na tumakas]... Dinadala na lang namin at inaabot 'yung pagkain," Cabatingan said.

He added that the custodial center, which ideally could house around 100 inmates, now has around 500 prisoners. 

"Overcongested na kasi, crowded na crowded," Cabatingan said.

He gave the assurance that operations will soon be normalized, but not now since manhunt operations are still ongoing for the missing inmates.

"Kagabi may gusto nang sumakay papuntang Mindanao. Naagapan lang natin," Cabatingan said.

"Once na may directive [from higher ups], ibabalik namin [ang privileges]. Ayaw namin ma-violate 'yung human rights nung mga walang planong tumakas. Mas maraming mababait diyan kaysa doon sa tumakas," he added. —KG, GMA News