Prisoner to be transferred to Quezon City jail rescued by peers, escaped his police escorts

Ma. Lourdes “Miami” Ebilane
April 25, 2008
Story 3: Prisoner to be transferred to Quezon City jail rescued by peers, escaped his police escorts

Philippine National Police Chief Avelino Razon has ordered for a manhunt operation of Pedro Rodica and eight other suspects who helped Rodica escaped at around 8:10 am.

Rodica was rescued by eight armed men while being transferred to Quezon City Jail in Kamuning from the PNP Crime Lab in Camp Crame. Rodica was detained at Station 7 or Camp Panopio, Cubao under Quezon City Police District (QCPD). He was brought first to Camp Crame Crime Lab for physical medical examination.

“The immediate priority action is to re-capture the suspect and account for his armed accomplices. The initial observation was that the three police escorts were obviously outnumbered and outgunned by eight suspects who were armed with assault weapons,” Razon said.

Rodica is facing robbery with homicide case. Based on the report by Station 7 Station commander Procopio Lipanan, while the patrol car is on its way to Quezon City Jail, on EDSA underpass near Baliwag Transit Terminal in Cubao, one white Toyota Revo with no plate number blocked the path of the police car.

Four hooded heavily armed men with M-16 rifle and short fire arms alighted from another vehicle which is a Red Adventure with no plate number as well. The red Adventure came was from the back of the patrol car, giving the policemen an idea that they were been followed by the red Adventure vehicle.

These four armed suspects held the police escorts at the bay at gunpoint and take possession of their service firearm and cellphones. Then Rodica went to the vehicle that blocked the patrol car which is the Toyota Revo and they all fled immediately.

The three police escorts were PO3 Juanito Felices, the one driving the patrol car; SPO2 Serafin Castellano seated at the right front seat; and PO3 Randy Danggaap seated at the back with the suspect.

Chief SSupt. Nicanor Bartolome, Chief of the Public Information office of the PNP, said investigation is now being handled by QCPD District Dir. Magtanggol Gatdula.

Among the angle that the police will investigate, “is to look for the loopholes, on what had transpire why the policemen did not fight the rescuer of Rodica,” Bartolome said.

He added what happened should be served as a basis for the policemen to make some corrections on what went wrong on transferring a criminal from one station to another.

Bartolome also said that the police were obviously outnumbered because the suspects were eight and the policemen are only three. They will check on who is the responsible on the situation, if it is the station commander or the police escorts.