Pubdate: Mon, 20 Dec 2004
Source: People's Tonight (Philippines)
Copyright: Journal Group 2004
Contact: http://www.journal.com.ph/contactus.asp
Website: http://www.journal.com.ph
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3454
Author: Jerico Javier
Cited: Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency ( www.pdea.gov.ph )
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

3 CHARGED FOR ESCAPE OF SINO DRUG SUSPECT

THREE policemen, including a police major, were placed under technical 
arrest after an alleged big-time Chinese drug trafficker bolted from his 
Philippine Drugs Enforcement Agency detention cell Saturday morning.

The duty personnel -- Chief Insp. Dante Cacadan, officer-in-charge of the 
PDEA Custodial Group, PO2 Rolando Duazo and PO2 Frederick Flacido -- are 
now facing administrative and criminal charges for the escape of Chinese 
national Li Zhong Hong, alias James Mian.

Hong, who was arrested in a raid in a clandestine shabu laboratory inside 
the Multinational Village in Paranaque, is the alleged caretaker of the 
laboratory.

PDEA Director General Anselmo Avenido Jr. said authorities are now looking 
into the possibilities that the detainee escaped by sawing the iron grills 
of the detention cell or he might have slipped through the door while the 
duty guards were sleeping.

Sr. Supt. Bernardo Bondoc, PDEA spokesman, said in a telephone interview 
that they are now also conducting investigation if the fugitive has 
connection at any PDEA officials that could facilitate his escape.

Hong was discovered missing inside his detention cell at the PDEA Metro 
Manila Regional Office (MMRO) in Quezon City at 5:45 a.m. last Saturday by 
PO3 Reynaldo Arojado, duty personnel of the Plans and Operations Division 
of MMRO.

Avenido said that during an ocular inspection at the said detention 
facility after the escape, it was learned that a horizontal steel bar of a 
small exhaust fan window was reportedly cut by an iron saw.

However, the official said that the exhaust fan is a very hazardous route 
because if the detainee used this, he could be seriously injured because he 
would be jumping a height equivalent to a three-story building.

Investigation also showed that Joy Acuin, the duty night-shift guard at the 
parking area of PDEA, noticed at 3 a.m. last Saturday a slender male person 
standing near a car parked in front of the MMRO headquarters.

However, Avenido said the guard did not bother to confront the person 
because he thought he was a PDEA personnel. Avenido said the person could 
be the suspect, who might have slipped through the door while the guards 
were sleeping.

Avenido said a flash alarm was immediately relayed to the local police 
stations, including the Bureau of Immigration, for the immediate arrest of 
Hong, while a massive manhunt has been launched by the PDEA.
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