Convince 2 fugitives to yield, family urged

Police warn relatives harboring criminals is against the law

THE families of the two detainees who escaped last Saturday promised to cooperate with the police, a police official said yesterday.

Insp. Donald Geniston said he talked with the parents of Junry Iran, 21, and Benjamin Aparri Jr., 27.

“We asked them to convince their children to surrender,” said Geniston, who was relieved as chief of Lapu-Lapu City Police Station 3 following the jailbreak.

They explained that Iran and Aparri are facing small charges, and hiding will only aggravate their case.

Iran was arrested for alleged theft, while Aparri is facing a case of robbery with extortion.

Geniston also told the families that harboring a criminal is against the law.

Monitoring

The police official said he assigned men to monitor the place where the two detainees live.

Aparri’s family lives in Barangay Labangon, Cebu City while Iran’s live in Pinamungajan, Cebu.

Albert Torregoza, 24, and Christopher Cernal, 20, who were captured hours after their escape, are now staying at the detention cell of the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office (LLCPO).

Geniston said Torregoza, who did not resist arrest when police found him walking in Cordova hours after he escaped, will be allowed to post bail today.

The four detainees escaped past 7 a.m. last Saturday, after PO2 Jude Salazar, the jail guard on duty, went out to eat breakfast.

One of the detainees kicked one of the iron bars until it was detached.

The detention cell is located in the police station’s old building in front of the public market in Barangay Poblacion.

Relief, probe

LLCPO Acting Chief Rey Lyndon Lawas immediately ordered the relief of Geniston and Salazar, who will face an investigation.

Lawas appointed Insp. Winston Peñaranda as acting chief of Police Station 3, which has occupied a new building in Barangay Gun-ob since early last year.

Geniston, who is relieved because of his command responsibility, said he will cooperate in the investigation.

Even though they were relieved from their post, Geniston and Salazar are required to join the manhunt for the two detainees, Lawas said in an interview last Saturday.

Lawas assigned the two police officers at the LLCPO’s Personal Holdings Unit while they face an investigation.