E.B. Magalona police chief, two jailers sacked after escape

By Glazyl M. Jopson

BACOLOD CITY – A police chief and two personnel were relieved from their posts following the escape of a rape suspect from the custodial facility of the E.B. Magalona Municipal Police Station in Negros Occidental.

The Police Regional Office–Negros Island Region recommended the relief of Police Major Eric Doronilla and two jailers, effective Oct. 1.

Doronilla was replaced by Police Captain Jyan Carlo Mania, aide-de-camp to Police Brigadier General Arnold Thomas Ibay, PRO–NIR director.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Joem Malong, PRO–NIR spokesperson, said Doronilla was reassigned to the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office headquarters as deputy chief of the Provincial Operations Management Unit.

Malong said the two jailers were transferred to the Regional Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit pending investigation.

She added that the three police officers were relieved from the municipal police station to prevent them from influencing the motu proprio investigation being conducted by the Internal Affairs Service.

The 58-year-old fisherman escaped from the station’s custodial facility on Sept. 9, a week after he was served an arrest warrant for qualified rape of a minor, with no bail recommended, in Barangay Tuburan on Sept. 1.

The local police offered a PHP 20,000 cash reward for information leading to the escapee’s capture, but the suspect remains at large.

Malong said there have been no updates on the suspect’s whereabouts as of press time.