PNP created Task Force to search for Ampatuan

Miami
June 9, 2008
Story: PNP created Task Force to search for Ampatuan

National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) officer in-charge Police Chief Supt. Eric Javier, ordered the Regional Headquarters Support Group Chief Inspector Agapito Quimson to investigate the escape of the suspect who killed Commission on Elections (Comelec) legal division chief Alioden Dalaig.

PO2 Basser Ampatuan suddenly disappeared inside Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig at around 2:00 am Saturday, June 7. He escaped after using a bathroom outside the room were he was staying.

He was under restricted custody and not detained in a jail inside Camp Bagong Diwa. Ampatuan was arrested last April 14 in Shariff Kabunsuan after he was tagged as the gunman who shot Dalaig in November 2007. He was staying in a room inside the Regional Intelligence and Investigation Division of NCRPO.

Javier explained that Ampatuan is not yet detained in jail but under restricted custody of intelligence and investigation division inside of the said camp. He is under restricted custody because of the administrative charges against him, also because the PNP still waiting for the warrant of arrest to be released by the Court for the PNP not to be accused of illegal detention.

According to PNP Chief Avelino Razon, the were already case against Ampatuan but the warrant of arrest has not been released by the Court because the murder case against him is yet to be resolved by the Fiscal.

The police on-duty, PO2 Mark Pasagui, will be investigated on how and why Ampatuan escaped. There were no indication that Ampatuan made an effort on his escape because the windows of the room were not destroyed.

The PNP is now doing manhunt operation on the whereabouts of Ampatuan.