Entire Jolo police station relieved over jailbreak

The entire police force of Jolo, Sulu has been sacked over the escape of at least 12 prisoners at the Jolo Municipal Police Station (MPS) last Saturday.

As joint police and military manhunt operations were launched to recapture the fugitives, the Provincial Public Safety Battalion has been ordered to take over the Jolo MPS, said Senior Inspector Jemar delos Santos, spokesman of the police in the Autonomous Region in Muslim

Mindanao (ARMM).

“The relief was ordered by the Regional Director (Chief Superintendent Graciano Mijares). All police stations were also alerted as part of the pursuit operation,” Delos Santos told The Manila Bulletin in a phone interview.

Initial police reports indicated about 29 detainees escaped from detention in Barangay Walled City in Jolo about 10:40 a.m. of last Saturday, but alert policemen managed to rearrest 17 detainees.

The 12 who have not been accounted for were identified by police as Herbert Bael, facing charges on physical injury; Radzmir Salahuddin, Nurhassan Taasan, Allim Misah, Abdulwahid Lipae, Junal Sali, Alvin Hamdi, Al-amil kipli, Algamer Bantala, Muthamir Pangambayan, Khan Balang and Dante Abdulla, all facing drug charges.

A partial police investigation showed that the duty police guard was out of his post when the incident happened.

“They used a picklock in opening the main padlock of the detention facility. All of the 29 inside escaped but 17 of them were recaptured,” said Delos Santos.

The official said intelligence-gathering was already intensified to recapture the suspects, part of it is to check the background of all the escaped inmates.

He said the relief of the entire police station will be temporary until such time that the investigation is done.