CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—Provincial Administrator Attorney Charlie Chua has ordered tighter security measures at the Pampanga Provincial Jail (PPJ) after two inmates have bolted the facility on Saturday night.
“You are hereby directed to take full security measures to maintain the integrity of our provincial jail and avoid any further security breach,” Attorney Chua said in a memorandum to retired police Col. Edwin Mangaliman, PPJ warden, on Monday, Oct. 28
Jayson Jacinto, who had been charged for possesion of illegal drugs and tools for robbery (violations of Sec. 11, Art. II of RA 9165 and Art. 304 of the RPC as amended by RA 10951), and Ryan Lastrella, who had been charged for the sale and possesion of illegal drugs (violations of Sec. 5 and Sec. 11 of RA 9165), escaped the PPJ on Saturday night, Mangaliman said in an incident report to Acting Gov. Lilia Pineda.
They were discovered to be missing from Cell No. 1 during the 10 p.m. headcount of inmates.
“[They] managed to climb the rooftop of the male detention dorm from the common kitchen located at the back portion of the jail facility going towards the front building where they managed to escape from detention,” Mangaliman reported.
Acting Governor Pineda has offered a reward of P200,000 each for the capture of Jacinto and Lastrella. Policemen are also tracking their whereabouts.
She met with Executive Judge Mary Ann Padron-Rivera, discussing security measures when detainees are brought to court as well as ways to fast-track hearings and trials of criminal cases especially drug offenses to be able declog the PPJ.
Attorney Chua also directed Mangaliman to “conduct full security and risks assessment as to the jail facilities, personnel and protocols currently in place in our provincial jail,” giving the warden five days to report findings and proposals.
The administrator also required the warden to find out if any personnel or detainee helped the runaways break out. He ordered a temporary stop to programs and activities. Regular visitation rights are observed but Attorney Chua asked visitors to bear with stricter inspection.
PPJ prison guards have been reduced from 69 to 64 when four of them were dismissed and another was suspended after Park Wang Yeol made his bold escape following a rescheduled trial in Tarlac City last Oct. 16.
Mangaliman filed a criminal case for infidelity in the custody of prisoner against the five escorts.
The PPJ, built in 1908, was rehabilitated and expanded in the administration of former Gov. Lilia Pineda. More than half of 2,300 detainees are held for drug charges.
The jail guards to detainees ratio stands at 1: 36.
