Police escort in hot water for escape of inmate

A POLICE escort of Minglanilla police station is facing an investigation after the inmate he was escorting managed to escape while at the Palace of Justice in Talisay City around 3 p.m. last Thursday.

SPO2 Romeo Barde was busy talking to a court clerk while securing an order for prisoner Delfin Yap, 27, single, of Barangay Tungha-an, Minglanilla to be committed to the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC).

Chief Insp. Franco Rudolf Oriol, Minglanilla police station chief, said Sedon was arrested last June 1 for theft and possession of illegal drugs and he was supposed to be committed to CPDRC yesterday.

Yap allegedly escaped by climbing over the fence of the Palace of Justice with the help of two persons.

Barde tried but failed to capture Yap, who managed to sneak through houses outside the court house.

Oriol said Barde will be facing possible administrative charge of grave misconduct if proven that he committed lapses in escorting the prisoner.

“Nanghinayang pud ko sa iyaha (I pity him) because he is a very hardworking investigator. But ako-a siya gipasabot nga ana man gyud na, wala na tuyoa and duna sab tay liabilities if maka-eskapo ang inmate (But I explained to him that even if it was not intentionally done, he is still liable for the inmate’s escape),” Oriol told Cebu Daily News.

Oriol said after the incident, he immediately instructed one of his investigators to conduct a formal investigation. Barde will be made to explain his side.

Oriol said they will submit a report to the Provincial Investigation Management which will in turn submit the report to the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO 7) Director for proper instruction.

Aside from the administrative charge, Oriol said that Barde may also be facing six months suspension without pay and benefits.

As of yesterday, Oriol said they are still looking for the whereabouts of Yap.