PDEA to conduct own probe on Quezon jailbreak

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on Monday said it will conduct its own probe on the escape of seven New People's Army (NPA) rebels from the Quezon Provincial Jail last Saturday. A radio report quoted PDEA Director General Dionisio Santiago as saying that they will conduct the investigation because the rebels managed to escape with help of NPA rebels posing as PDEA employees. Initial investigation showed at least 10 NPA rebels wearing black shirts with "PDEA" printed in front and "SWAT" printed at the back went to the Quezon Provincial Jail around 6:15 p.m. Saturday claiming that they were "turning over" a prisoner to the jail facility. The aiding rebels likely made the fake PDEA uniforms themselves as the sale of PDEA uniforms to the public is not allowed, Santiago said. The report further quoted Santiago as saying jail officials should have been aware that only Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) officials bearing a court order, and not PDEA employees, are not authorized to "turn-over" prisoners. On Sunday, Quezon provincial police chief Senior Superintendent Fidel Posadas said over radio dzBB that Governor Rafael Nantes has ordered a probe on the incident after learning jail management were warned about a possible jailbreak. Posadas said that as early as October 10, he has already informed the Lucena City police about an NPA threat and ordered a security inspection of the provincial jail, but the provincial jail officials were still caught unprepared. "Nang nangyari (ang jailbreak), wala ang provincial warden, ang deputy at 25 jail guards nagse-seminar sa Manila (But when the jailbreak occurred, the provincial warden and his deputy were out, and 25 of the jail guards were attending a seminar in Manila)," Posadas said. Initial investigation likewise showed that the jail guards present did not even question the NPAs which judge ordered the "turn-over" claim, said Posadas. The police chief added that provincial jail warden Archimedes Mortiz, who is under the provincial government and not the BJMP, has been suspended because of the jailbreak. The seven freed NPA "political prisoners," who are facing charges of murder and rebellion, were identified as Gemma Carag, Cecilia Mondia, Noel Santos, Gerson Carabido, Fernando Tawagon, Arnold Valencia, and Rogelio Monteverda. - GMANews.TV