4 die in Ormoc City jail break

By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
February 24, 2007

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte  –  Four inmates died in an early morning jail break at the Ormoc City Jail Thursday, February 22, Mayor Eric Codilla told PIA, in order to correct earlier reports that three inmates who tried to escape died.

Reports received by the Philippine Information Agency stated that six out of the 172 inmates at the Ormoc City Jail attempted to escape prison by having two of those who wished to escape, gang up on the jail guard during breakfast at about 6:30 in the morning, while the rest rushed to the nearby sugarcane plantation.

Three of the inmates, Juanito Belaro, Jefferson Aralar and Renante Terado were identified by Jail Warden Angelo Marcos as those slained. The fourth one was Eddie Nodalo who was wounded and later on died at the hospital. The other accomplices were Bejamin Barbosa and Ronnie Gabilino.

Mayor Codilla said this is the second time that Juanito Belaro and Eddie Nodalo were among the ten inmates who escaped in May of 2004. Jail guard Solomon Escalaña died during that jailbreak. Eleven days after, the two who were both facing murder charges, turned themselves in.

The inmates took advantage of the situation because most of the jail guards were busy helping serve the inmates’ breakfast. Gabilino and Nodalo ganged on the jail guard while the other four ran to the nearby sugarcane plantation.

The responding members of the Ormoc City Police led by Senior Superintendent Manuel Cubillo cordoned the plantation where the four jail breakers were.

Inspector Andres Laguarda, deputy jail warden tried to negotiate with the escapees to no avail, prompting them to shower the area with bullets.

Terado and Belaro were later found dead. Aralar was taken hold by one of the responding policemen but he was able to get away prompting another guard to shoot him.