Manhunt for over 100 fugitives intensifies
40 recaptured, classes in 5 schools suspended indefinitely
KIDAPAWAN CITY -- Additional police and military forces arrived here yesterday as the manhunt for over 100 escapees from the North Cotabato District Jail intensified.
Acting North Cotabato Governor Shirlyn Macasarte said the augmentation force is composed of members of the Special Action Force and Public Safety Company of the Philippine National Police as well as the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology-Soccsksargen.
Senior Supt. Emmanuel Peralta, North Cotabato police director, said the military’s 39th and 7th Infantry Battalions also sent additional men.
Peralta said they were conducting intense pursuit operations in several villages in the adjacent towns of M’lang and Matalam.
Some 158 inmates bolted prison in what has been described as one of the biggest jailbreaks in the country after over 100 armed men attacked the facility in Barangay Amas, Kidapawan City before dawn of January 4.
In a statement, Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said no specific information on the identity of the armed group has been revealed amid reports that the attackers were led by a Commander Derbi.
Abella said General Alamanzor, chief of staff of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces of the MILF, has denied that they have any member named Commander Derbi.
Classes in five public elementary and secondary schools in Kidapawan have been indefinitely suspended.
Kidapawan Mayor Joseph Evangelista ordered the suspension of classes in Amas Central Elementary School, Amas National High School, Puas Inda Integrated School, Patadon Elementary School and Malinan Elementary School.
As of 6:49 p.m. yesterday, 40 have been recaptured, according to Mayor Herlo Guzman Jr. of Kabacan, North Cotabato.
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) public affairs office chief Col. Edgard Arevalo earlier said 17 inmates were captured by troopers from the 7th Infantry Battalion in Barangay Bangilan, Kabacan town, North Cotabato around 8:30 a.m. yesterday while another inmate was recaptured by Army units in Matalam, North Cotabato.
An additional 22 inmates were arrested also in Barangay Bangilan, Guzman said.
Two wounded inmates, identified as Peter John Ararao and Johnmeir Selgas, are confined at the Cotabato Provincial Hospital.
Five fugitives (not six as earlier reported) died while resisting recapture in military-police pursuit operations. They were identified as Joey Aranas, Allan Jay Fabro Tolentino, Edfel Bautista Liscano, Rapacon Dimawan Ambolonto, and Adonis Ray Ferraren Cedeno.
A jail guard, Excell Ray Vicedo, and a village councilman, Satar Manalundong of Barangay Patadon, were also killed.
A civilian, identified as Sorelo Quino of Sitio Puas Inda, Amas, was injured after he was held hostage by some fugitives.
The massive pursuit operations resulted in the recapture of 12 escapees identified as Jason Angkanan, Wennie Curimo Rota, Faisal Tiburon, Joselito Tomines, Jerome Oguit, Melvin Antipuesto Canete, Mohammad Mama, Roli M Dinampo, Faisal Bansilan and Ginda Angkil, Richel Vales Flores, and Joreste Robles Perdido.
Town Mayors Russel Abonado of M’lang and Cheryl Valdevieso-Catamco of Matalam, respectively, both firmly committed to support the initiative and mobilized all forces in their respective areas of responsibility.