TACLOBAN CITY– Two inmates who escaped from a sub-provincial jail in Calubian, Leyte on Thursday, October 31, were apprehended early Friday morning, November 1, after a swift manhunt operation led by local authorities.
Under the direction of Captain Alexander Alfonso, acting chief of Calubian Municipal Police Station, authorities pursued Arnold Haliclic, 44, and Reggie Pepito, 32, after they escaped at about 3:20 p.m. on Thursday.
The escapees, both charged with illegal drug offenses and illegal possession of firearms, reportedly fled by scaling an unfinished concrete wall and boarding a motorcycle.
The search effort was a coordinated operation involving Calubian police, the 2nd Leyte Provincial Mobile Force Company, the Philippine Coast Guard, the Provincial Intelligence Unit, and Leyte Sub-Provincial Jail personnel. Community force multipliers also supported the mission.
Acting on a tip, the search team converged on a mangrove forest in Barangay Cabalquinto, where the men were believed to be hiding.
Surrounding the area, authorities blocked all escape routes, forcing the men to surrender around 4 a.m. Friday.
Haliclic, a resident of Brgy. Cabalquinto, Calubian, and Pepito, from Brgy.Suba, Villaba, Leyte, were taken into custody without incident.
Captain Alfonso credited the combined efforts of police, military units, and the community’s vigilance for the successful apprehension.
“The collective efforts of the police and other units, along with the active support of force multipliers and the community, were key factors in the surrender of the two escapees,” he said in a statement. (ROBERT DEJON)
