Kidapawan jail officials foil inmate's escape try

KIDAPAWAN CITY -Jail authorities herethwarted today an attempt by an inmate to escape from his prison cell at around 4:10 a.m. an official of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) said. Jail Senior Inspector Edwin Kasan, warden of BJMP Kidapawan City jail, identified the prisoner as Benjie Langalen of Datu Montawal, Maguindanao who is facing several drug trafficking charges.Kasan said Langalen attempted to escape from prison by destroying the iron bars of his cell near the ceiling until he made an opening. The hole, though, is so small that Langalen could not break in. A jail guard heard a commotion then caught the inmate attempting to escape,” Kasan said. The warden said that even before the foiled jail escape happened, they already increased security watch over the inmates. We all know that during seasons like Christmas and New Year many of our inmates are planning to escape because they want to be with their families.But we arestrengthening our security watch to prevent a jail break or escape,” the jail officer said.About a year ago, or onDecember 23, 2013,six inmates waiting for the commitment order from a court escaped while at the custody of the local police.Supt. Leo Ajero, former Kidapawan City police director, identified the fugitives as Latip Macarao Ampaso, charged with drug trafficking Alvin Saloder Adajar, carnapping Darwin Monde Lejista, theft and robbery Eduardo Saladaor Elagan, and Cris Ferbrero Selbano, charged for violation of Republic Act 9262 or violence against women and children and a minor detainee.Ajero, however, did not include the minor in the list of those who bolted from the jail facility.Ajero said the inmates, locked inside Cell Number 3, were able to escape after destroying the steel bars of the window, hinting that the inmates facing drug trafficking charges was behind the jailbreak. An initial investigation showed that Ampaso is allegedly connected with a drug syndicate operating in Central Mindanao.