Treñas to ICPO chief: Throw out of city non-performing cops
City Mayor Jerry Treñas yesterday issued a stern warning to Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) Director Sr. Supt. Melvin Mongcal to transfer policemen considered as “non-performing assets” outside of Iloilo City.
Treñas’s warning to the city director came after two detainees at the La Paz police station bolted out of the lock up cell dawn of October 7, 2009. The detainees were identified as Alberto Doronila Patpat and Mark Anthony Cahandig. They escaped the jail without being noticed by the duty jail guard and investigator. Patpat is facing robbery case while Cahandig was charged for robbery, illegal possession of firearms, frustrated murder and illegal drugs.
The suspects allegedly used a guitar string in cutting two 16 mm rebars of the lock-up cell and jumped in a nearby building and immediately fled the police station.
Apparently irked of the report on the escape of the two detainees, Treñas said the city government has been giving all out support to the police and it is a must for them to deliver good service to the entire citizenry. The city has provided them logistical support such as firearms, patrol cars and gasoline for their mobility.
There should be mutual cooperation between the city government and the police, said Treñas.
Mongcal said the investigation regarding the escape of the two detainees is ongoing while the manhunt operation continues. An investigation was conducted on the criminal and administrative liability of the policemen on duty for the escape of the detainees inside the La Paz police station lock-up cell.
The probers will determine the circumstances behind the escape and render recommendation not only to the duty jailer but to those who are on duty. The chief of La Paz police station, Sr. Inspector Alexander Rosales is not spared from the probe, said Mongcal.
Initially, SPO2 Nestor Alitao, the duty jailer was relieved from his assignment pending the conduct of the investigation. A new jailer is assigned to replace Alitao. A double guard system at the same time was implemented to avoid further break outs, said Mongcal.
Mongcal vowed to bring the two fugitives back to the folds of the law the soonest possible time.
Mongcal believes the jailbreak could have been avoided had La Paz PNP implemented his order on jail management.
In his order, the police are directed to conduct an inspection of the lock-up cell every three hours and head count among the detainees.
This early, Moncal is convinced there was a security lapse on the part of SPO2 Alitao as the duty jailer.
“He could have heard a sound whether coming from a guitar string especially during nighttime. There was a deliberate effort on the part of the detainees. It is planned. They could have started to cut the rebars even before their exact date of the breakout,” Mongcal said.