COTABATO JAIL WARDEN SACKED OVER JAILBREAK

COTABATO CITY, July 12 (PNA) – Maguindanao Gov. Esmael "Toto" Mangudadatu has sacked Provincial Jail Warden Kasan Odin following the escape of 10 inmates, including high profile inmate Datukan Samad.
Mangudadatu named Bukid Baman as the new provincial warden. The governor learned that Odin was only acting jail warden and his appointment was only as "Jail Guard 2."
"He was not even qualified to act as officer-in-charge because he has no proper training and expertise in jail management," Mangudadatu said.
The police investigating the July 10 escape of 10 inmates found that one of them was a "key keeper" and trusted aide of the provincial jail guards.
Senior Supt. Danilo Reyes, Cotabato City police chief, said inmate Basco Puas was a trusted inmate and served as “key keeper” of cell Nos. 1, 3 and 8.
Samad alias Lastikman who was facing extortion, bombing, kidnapping and murders, was the brain of the daring escape which happened at 1 a.m. Tuesday.
Puas remained at large along with “Lastikman” and the other escapees.
Reyes said police investigators learned that Puas, who was facing murder and frustrated murder charges, opened the door of other cells after Lastikman made his great escape.
Kagem Omar, one of the escapees who was recaptured hours later, said that it was Samad who planned everything.
“Samad was the one who sew the iron grill of the comfort room every night or when the guards are not seeing him," he said in the vernacular.
“He would saw the iron grills every now and then," he added. "To camouflage the cuts, he will rub it with bath soap.”
Omar said while every one in the cell knew of what Lastikman was doing they simply ignored it and waited for the opportunity to escape with him.
Police said two motorbikes with two men were seen waiting for Lastikman to escape and fled with him amid light down pour on Tuesday dawn.
Reyes said a tracking team has been out to locate other inmates through their relatives.
The military, which had been helping the police locate the wanted persons, also seek the help of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) ceasefire committee in locating Lastikman.
Major Gen. Rey Ardo, 6th Infantry Division chief, said the joint ceasefire committee, composed of military and MILF officials, can help in tracking down the escapees.
Ardo said Lastikman may have some relatives with the MILF ranks “so we need the help of our friends in the MILF because in cases like these the military must coordinate with the MILF.”
To avoid mis-encounter while state forces are enforcing police actions against lawless elements in areas identified with the MILF, a mechanism was set up for joint GPH-MILF manhunt operation. (PNA)