THE Justice Department yesterday said initial investigation conducted by the Bureau of Correction on the escape of four inmates from the maximum-security compound of the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa city last week showed they planned their move a long time ago.
“It turned out that these four PDL have planned their escape for some time. Not even their cellmates know of their plan,” Justice Undersecretary Deo Marco said in a radio interview.
Asked how they were able to get their hands on the firearms and ammunition they used to shoot their way out, Marco said investigators are looking at two possibilities — these have been smuggled to their cells or long hidden there.
“It was found out that they were able to gain access to ammunition and firearms. If not from the outside, those were probably hidden somewhere for the longest time,” he added.
Marco said investigation is continuing while pursuit operations are ongoing against the two remaining escapees, Drakilou Yosores and Cris Ablas, who are considered “armed and dangerous.”
Authorities earlier killed two other escapees — Pacifico Villaruz Adlawan and Arnel Bio — when they resisted arrest.
He said the BuCor has deployed tracker teams in coordination with the PNP.
BuCor spokesperson Gabriel Chaclag said the operation to arrest Yosores and Ablas would continue until they are rearrested.
Marco said it was the first time that authorities failed to recapture an escape within 24 hours. Normally, Marco said, escaped inmates are rearrested within a day.
Marco said the January 17 escape was also the first such incident at the national penitentiary after five years.
In the aftermath of the incident, BuCor Director Gerald Bantag relieved C/Supt. Arnold Guzman and C/Insp. Israel Basi from their posts. Guzman is the head of the maximum-security compound while Basi is the overall commander of the guards.
They were replaced by C/Supt. Roy Villasi and C/Insp. Reynaldo Tuguinay.
Marco said the BuCor also reshuffled its guards assigned at the NBP to prevent familiarity with the inmates.
