Ma of ‘mental' fugitive helped son escape, says IRC warden

By Florence F. Hibionada

Search and manhunt operation continue and further widened to cover city barangays as the infamous escape of a ‘mental' detainee of the Iloilo Rehabilitation Center (IRC) entered the second week. 

The ex-wife of the escapee was also warned to take extra security measures alongside the uncle-complainant who caused the subject's detention following a frustrated murder charge pending in court.

With surveillance furthered and more men out in the field, retired police Sr. Supt. Juan Mabugat, IRC warden told The News Today he remains confident of positive results “anytime soon.”  And there have been more leads, Supt. Mabugat added, including validated tips that the escapee's mother was allegedly involved in the escape plan.  In fact, the IRC warden continued, days prior to the successful get-away, repeated appeals for loosened cuffs and chains were made by the detainee-turned-fugitive's mother to the guard on duty.

A subject of regular “psych check-ups,” IRC detainee Joseph Jutay remains unaccounted following his daring yet easy escape early morning of May 2.  Accused of frustrated murder, the 23 year-old Jutay is a native of Guimbal, Iloilo and has since been in IRC detention for about a year now.

“We are focusing our surveillance on one area and we have reasons to believe he is still within our jurisdiction.  Someone is helping him, to keep him in hiding but we will get him,” Supt. Mabugat told The News Today .  “I have warned the former wife and his uncle only because they are the likely targets.  Sige-sige na hambal ni Jutay nga kung maka-gua lang siya, unahon niya gid ang asawa niya.”

Such, the IRC warden disclosed clarifying though that as of yet, he is not convinced of Jutay's supposed mental imbalance. 

“It could be a ploy all these months,” he said.  “For now, gina-rule out ko ang iya pagka-buang.”

The News Today learned from jail insiders that Jutay appeared normal in his first months of detention but began acting strange when the wife stopped her jail visits.   Talks then got to jail that the wife remarried that had Jutay allegedly depressed for days and even weeks with poor appetite.  He was also made to move out of the cell and eventually transferred to seclusion when his mental state appeared to get worse.

Jutay was brought by IRC authorities to the Western Visayas Medical Center (WVMC) last week of April and has been in confinement for ten days at the WVMC until the discovery of his escape.

Asked if the said ‘mental' escapee poses danger to the public, Supt. Mabugat downplays said speculation saying instead that the risks are higher to the former wife and the uncle-complainant.