HOSTAGE TAKING AT BJMP SAN JOSE, ANTIQUE

The San Jose District Jail is located at Marina St., San Jose, Antique beside the San Jose Municipal Motorpool. It has approximately a total area of 500 square meters. It is composed of seven (7) cells ; cells 1, 2, & 3 has an approximate area of 3.5 m x 4 m; cells 4, 5, & 6 has an approximate area of 3.5m x 2.4m; and the Annex building which considered as cell 7 has an approximate area of 3m x 7.5m. The Unit also has its Kitchen Area, Visiting Area, Sunning Area and the Admin building.

CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS

a.    At about 5:38 in the afternoon of August 25, 2011 at the Bureau of Jail Management & Penology (BJMP) San Jose District Jail while the inmates were outside their cells to take their supper, detainee/trustee BENNY MIGORE reported to San Jose MPS that detainees CHRISTOPHER FERNANDO, LOYD FRANCISCO, JERRY NALDO and ALLAN LERONA grabbed and shot to death Jail Officer 2 (JO2) ROMAR SAQUIBAL y DESMONTE.

  

b.    Personnel of San Jose MPS led by PCINSP GILBERT T GORERO, COP responded and secured the area and likewise informed AntiquePPO as well as San Jose Mayor Hon. Rony L Molina for the activation of the Crisis Management Committee.

c.    CIMTG was also activated with PSUPT MARLOE L MARFIL as PCIMTG Commander as members of the PPO and Antique PPSC proceeded to the area to secure the place of incident in order to prevent the detainees from escaping. PSUPT MARFIL informed PSSUPT RUPERTO T FLORO JR., PD AntiquePPO, who was in Cebu for an official seminar, and who immediately gave instructions to activate the CMC and PCIMTG as well as to inform higher office.

d.    Upon arrival of the PCIMTG, including members (paramedics, BFP and other concerned agencies), personnel were deployed as a Command Post and Media Holding Area were established.

e.    At about 6:10 in the evening negotiations started with PINSP JUVY E CORDERO, PINSP JEREME M BELO, SPO1 Ariston F Gilza and PO1 Marlon A Galedo who were later on assisted by Prov’l Public Attorney ANTONIO ALCANTARA, as Third Party Intermediary (TPI) whom the inmates personally requested to assist in their surrender. The inmates, led by Lloyd Francisco and armed with a hand grenade demanded for an escape vehicle as further negotiations were conducted.

f.     Cellphones and Motorola handheld radios were provided for the inmates as means of communication during the negotiation.

g.    Detainee/trustee AGAPITO ODANGO SR. and REX REBREZA were utilized by other inmates as emissary to the Negotiating Team and briefed the team regarding the situation inside the facility.

h.    While negotiating, gunfire was heard from inside the jail facility prompting the PCIMTG to alert the SWAT Team led by PSUPT JOSE ROY M TORRECHILLA for possible assault as the suspects warned that they will kill a fellow inmate.

i.      At about 9:30 in the evening JSSUPT IGNACIO PANTI, RD, BJMP6 arrived at the scene. 

j.      Further negotiations centered on the surrender of the inmates, explosive and weapons and at about 9:32 in the evening requested the following demands: gripes on the treatment of other inmates; escape vehicle; food; cigarettes; return of JSINSP PRISEL AREVALO, former District Jail Officer; and if ever they surrender, they be transferred to San Jose MPS for their safety and their eventual transfer to BJMP Manila.

k.    At about 10:45 in the evening PCSUPT ERNESTO A TESORO JR., DRD-A, PRO6 arrived at the scene.  

l.      Negotiations lasted until 11:30 in the evening of the same date as ICPO SWAT Team arrived at San Jose and the inmates sensing that their demands for escape will not be met, opted to peaceably surrender provided that the media will accompany them and at about 12:00 midnight of August 25, 2011, 16 inmates voluntarily surrendered along with a NORINCO caliber .45 pistol bearing SN 1001911 with 2 magazines containing 18 live ammunitions; a HM caliber .38 revolver with ammunitions and M59 fragmentation grenade (without safety pin). Two (2) inmates who acted as emissaries were also taken to San Jose MPS but were later returned to BJMP while the remaining 154 remained at their respective cells.

m.   The 16 inmates who surrendered came from different cells of the 6-cell jail facility. Another inmate, GIDEON MISTAS, who was later pinpointed as one of the suspects was also turned-over to San Jose MPS, making 17 inmates were temporarily detained at San Jose MPS.

n.    At about 3:30 in the morning of August 26, 2011, PCSUPT CIPRIANO E QUEROL, JR., AL HAJ, RD PRO6 arrived at San Jose MPS and meted PSUPT MARFIL, PCINSP GORERO and San Jose Mayor Hon. Rony L Molina. RD and DRD-A PRO6 left Antique at about 4:00 o’clock in the morning enroute to Iloilo City via land vehicle.       

                  INVESTIGATION

a.    Initial investigation on inmate BENNY MIGORE revealed that sometime before the evening mess, he saw fellow inmate ALLAN LERONA picking-up a plastic bag which was believed to have come from outside the walls of the facility and passed the same into Cell Nr 3 where CHRISTOPHER FERNANDO and other inmates were held. Seeing this, Migore informed the Duty Jail Guards. JO3 Rafael Tumaob y Gallano then summoned detainees Allan and Alonzo Lerona for questioning. After the questioning, as JO2 SAQUIBAL was opening the Secondary Fence Gate to allow the duo to return back inside the main jail compound, JO2 Saquibal was suddenly charged, dragged and grappled by FRANCISCO, MISTAS, REYNALDO and NALDO. JO2 Saquibal was later shot on his nape by FERNANDO.

b.    172 detainees scampered into their cells as the Duty Jail Guards returned fire at the suspects. Further investigation disclosed that the smuggling in of a caliber .38 revolver and a hand grenade inside the jail facility was purposely to be used by inmates LOYD FRANCISCO, ALONZO LERONA, ALLAN LERONA, CHRISTOPHER FERNANDO and JERRY NALDO for their escape.

ACTION/S TAKEN

a.    Scene of the Crime Operation was conducted by Antique PCLO led by PSINSP HERBERT A TUNAC and revealed that JO2 Romar Saquibal y Desmonte, 40 years old, single and a resident of Brgy Madrancga, San Jose suffered a gunshot wound on his nape which caused his death and was brought to Angel Salazar Memorial General Hospital morgue at around 12:15 in the morning of August 26, 2011 for autopsy. Recovered from the crime scene were eight (8) fired cartridges: one (1) for caliber .45 and seven (7) for caliber 5.56mm (M16).

b.    JSINSP CHARLES CASALAN, Prov’l Jail Administrator was installed as Officer-in-Charge of BJMP San Jose District Jail after the relief of JINSP JOHNY LAYUG who was the Jail Warden during the incident.

c.    Surrendered firearms are in the custody of Antique PCLO for ballistic examinations while the hand grenade is presently in the custody of SPO1 Meneses of the SWAT-EOD, ICPO.

d.    On August 26, 2011 PD, AntiquePPO ordered for the creation and activation of the Special Investigation Task Group “PRESO” (SITG PRESO) tasked to conduct formal investigation into the shooting and hostage-taking incidents effective the same date. SITG “PRESO” is led by PCINSP GILBERT T GORERO, COP, San Jose MPS assisted by personnel from Prov’l IDM and Intelligence Branches; Antique CID Unit; Antique PCLO and San Jose MPS IDM Section.     

  

e.    As of 5:00 o’clock in the afternoon of August 27, 2011 with the consent of Prov’l Warden SALVADOR GERONA, fourteen (14) of the seventeen (17) detainees/suspects were transferred to the Antique Prov’l Jail/Rehabilitation Center, Binirayan Hills, San Jose, Antique and were detained in separate cells while three (3) others, namely LOYD FRANCISCO, CHRISTOPHER FERNANDO and EVELIO MOLINA, were withheld at San Jose MPS lock-up cell.

f.     On August 29, 2011 at about 2:00 o’clock in the afternoon Case Conference with members of the SITG “PRESO” was held at the AntiquePPO Conference Room.

g.    Initially, a criminal charge for MURDER WITH THE USE OF ILLEGALLY POSSESSED FIREARMS is being prepared against all the seventeen (17) suspects wherein four (4) of them, namely LOYD FRANCISCO, JERRY NALDO, CHRISTOPHER FERNANDO and GIDEON MISTAS were ‘PRINCIPALS BY DIRECT PARTICIPATION while the 13 others as accomplices/accessories. In addition, Violation of RA 8294 (Illegal Possession of Explosives) is also being considered to be charged against LOYD FRANCISCO.